General Discussion

gopiscrap

(23,761 posts) Tue Oct 1, 2013, 04:42 PM Oct 2013

I am a casualty of our health care system....on this day I SALUTE OBAMACARE!!!

I have told this story on this site before:

I was born in Frankfurt, Germany and as an infant contracted a case of encephalitis. This left me in a German hospital for 6 months. At the end of that six months, my parents were billed a total of $158.60 US equivalent.
Probably about $1,500.00 in today's dollars. Many years later I got cancer and while it was difficult, our family managed and we eked out a living and were able to sustain ourselves. (We had insurance) Then a few years later I got cancer again (in the days before insurance companies couldn't refuse for pre existing conditions) and this time it was much more serious than the last time and almost killed me. Since the insurance company refused payment and were legally allowed to, our family wracked up $192,000.00 in bills. We lost everything we had and are still recovering financially. The bills piled on and some providers were cutting off treatment. I filed bankruptcy and that stopped collections and also made the providers continue treatment til a resolution came to be. So it bought me time, but not enough. I kept on filing bankruptcies to stop the clock. Because I did so too quickly I was ordered by the federal court not to do so, but I was between a rock and hard place. I probably shouldn't have done it, but I did so and it got me through it. But it also got me charged with contempt of federal court and I was sent to a federal prison for 10 months. I wouldn't wish this struggle we had on anybody!

I am very fortunate, not only am I well, but I have a good white collar job and have pretty good insurance (even though the ACA would lower my premiums by 42.00 a year). But I feel for those who worry every time a cough comes and doesn't go away. I feel for those who send their children out to play and worry about them getting hurt. I worry about those born with chronic conditions and are not being treated. I feel for those who choose to put food on the table not seek medical treatment. I feel for those who have to cut medicine in half to make it last.

I feel that this is a private victory for me today (selfish I know) but all my life I have been a huge supporter of a single payer system and while I know this isn't it, it is way better than what we had on Sept 30th.

So I salute Obamacare (the ACA) and I celebrate with all who can get insurance for perhaps the first time in their life. Today is a wonderful day for that. I thank those who fought for it and I urge all of us to continue to fight on
for a universal single payer system. Medicine and health should never be up for profit!!!