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Rubric "A news and the story behind" in the german "SPIEGEL" 33/2010.
Title: The Rescue Shot
- "How a patient tried to solve an insurance issue."
"Ms. Myers, 41 years old, homosexual, smokes, worked with toxic waste for 23 years, with asbestos, with radioactive material. The nightmare of every insurance company, high risk candidate for cancer, asthma, skin diseases.
She would have had to pay more than a thousand dollars a month. Sorting waste earned her 8$ an hour."
She suffered a very painful shoulder injury when walking the dog.
""There is no mortal danger", said the doctor at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles, Michigan, "we can't treat your shoulder, because you have no health insurance." The nurse gave her a painkiller.
[...]
Myers swallowed some pills, continued her work, the pain in her shoulder got worse. She voted for Obama, partially because of the health care reform. Nothing changed yet. 47 million Americans without health insurance, Myers one of them. She passed out at the assembly line. Next day she called her employer, reported sick. "You don't need to come anymore at all" they told her.
At that point she, daughter of a cashier and youngest of six childs, made a decision: She would make politics herself, set an example."
Afterwards, she shot her shoulder to make the injury a life threatening one and called 911.
"The ambulance came and brought her to the hospital, 500$. In the hospital they radiograph her shoulder. The gunshot wound only is a flesh wound, nothing serious. They inject a pain killer in her arm. They give her two slices of bread, a cookie and a glass of tea. Six hours later she leaves the hospital, 1800$.
[...]
"The whole thing didn't achieve me anything" Myers says and takes a pull of her cigarette. She laughs humorless, "the pain is exactly as bad as before."
[...]
She is charged with an lawsuit for unathorized use of a gun inside a city area. Myers hopes for imprisonement. "In jail" she says, "they even have a dentist.""
Just one more story that makes it totally unbelievable and even disgusting to me that there still are Americans who deeply refuse a health care reform. A nightmare for affected people as well as doctors who aren't allowed to treat ill or injured people.
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this wouldnt fix brain related injurys
o wait.. so now we are supposed to all bitch about how shitty the healthcare in the states is.
User was warned for this post
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Though it is a terrible story and exposes some of the worst parts of our health care system, I strongly believe that you can't make policy decisions that will affect millions of people based on emotion wrought from stories like this. Yes, there are a lot of things that need to be fixed. Yes, reform in some way is needed; though I think the path that the current health care reform is taking is flawed. But be very careful about letting stories like this inform what policies you think should be implemented; there are a million tragic stories about every cause, and it's a simple fact that we can't eliminate all of them. That's what leaders and people in a government/society have to do, make hard choices about which problems to tackle with limited resources, and you have to always take into account the costs, both implicit and explicit.
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This story is pretty shocking. I will say that I have family who live in the states and luckily all of them have decent coverage, but they were hoping that changes would happen soon after Obama's election. They say not much has changed...
The problem stems from the media imho people who don't have healthcare coverage think that the majority of the tax burden will fall on them and they don't want to pay for "other people's" healthcare. As a result nothing happens and when you are the one who gets sick... Its pretty devastating.
Here's hoping they can institute some kind of drastic measures in the future to make the system work better for those less fortunate souls.
Also for canadians who read this. Know that we may soon be in the same boat as our government is not properly funding our healthcare system and many attempts have already been made to privatize healthcare in Canada. It will be a sad day when it happens but I have no doubt that it will eventually since healthcare is a billion dollar industry in the states.
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We got wallstreet CEO's that need bailouts so they can get their year end bonus.
Far more important imo
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BUT WHAT ABOUT THE DEATH COUNCILS OBAMA IS GOING TO IMPLIMENT!?
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On August 24 2010 14:57 theonemephisto wrote:
Though it is a terrible story and exposes some of the worst parts of our health care system, I strongly believe that you can't make policy decisions that will affect millions of people based on emotion wrought from stories like this. Yes, there are a lot of things that need to be fixed. Yes, reform in some way is needed; though I think the path that the current health care reform is taking is flawed. But be very careful about letting stories like this inform what policies you think should be implemented; there are a million tragic stories about every cause, and it's a simple fact that we can't eliminate all of them. That's what leaders and people in a government/society have to do, make hard choices about which problems to tackle with limited resources, and you have to always take into account the costs, both implicit and explicit.
You can't eliminate all of them? You can still eliminate a lot of cases :S
Plus, you say you have limited resources, when a shitload of cash is spent on a war per month in the midst of an economic crisis. I bet they could give less money to the army and spend more money on the people.
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Yeah, Obama is really going to save us! I mean, he already bailed out all those failed companies so their CEO's could shit on gold toilets. Then he was nice enough to pass health care reform, which has done nothing except make it so I can be thrown in jail and fined if I don't want to buy health insurance.
Thanks Obama!
As someone going into the healthcare field (I'm an EMT and am trying to get into med school) I can say that whereas some reform would be nice, what we passed is doing nothing but terrible harm.
All I've seen from this most recent election is that democrats and republicans are all the same. They just pander and pander to whoever feeds them the money (unless it's the taxpayer!) and no matter who is in office, they just want more government power.
I find it terribly sad that I can't say I have ever had the chance to say I was proud of one of my politicians.
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On August 24 2010 14:59 Coagulation wrote:
We got wallstreet CEO's that need bailouts so they can get their year end bonus.
Far more important imo
Well said sir. They wouldn't want to miss that extravagant party on their cruise ship they had planned all year, now would they. Or perhaps their gold golf club wasn't good enough, and they needed to replace it with platinum or diamond.
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On August 24 2010 14:57 theonemephisto wrote:
Though it is a terrible story and exposes some of the worst parts of our health care system, I strongly believe that you can't make policy decisions that will affect millions of people based on emotion wrought from stories like this. Yes, there are a lot of things that need to be fixed. Yes, reform in some way is needed; though I think the path that the current health care reform is taking is flawed. But be very careful about letting stories like this inform what policies you think should be implemented; there are a million tragic stories about every cause, and it's a simple fact that we can't eliminate all of them. That's what leaders and people in a government/society have to do, make hard choices about which problems to tackle with limited resources, and you have to always take into account the costs, both implicit and explicit.
Yes, that's right. Yet this area of health care might be the once with the closest relation to ethics and fairness.
Illness and injury are things that anyone can be affected by without doing any mistakes, yet people of low income or, in this case, also high insurance charges because of the job they do are easily getting punished by the current American health care system. That's something nobody can justify as a just system.
You're certainly right with saying "there are a million tragic stories about every cause, and it's a simple fact that we can't eliminate all of them" but as I just wrote, this topic is one of those that are closely related to ethics and should aim for finding a compromise of eliminating as many tragic stories as possible without dealing damage to economy or other people.
Makes me glad living in Germany once more, yet fearful of certain political parties here who like to stress words like "personal responsibility", because stories such as this is what people get for pursuing economic liberalism too far.
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maybe lay off the smoking and find a new god damn job? I have a shitty job at a grocery store not handling toxic waste and get 9$/hr +health insurance. A pretty decent amount of employers, even in non-professional jobs, offer health insurance benefits. I have a strong suspicion this story is made up, it's just too hyperbolic. Who the hell is dumb enough to handle toxic waste for only 8$/hr for decades AND smoke cigarettes anyway? Even if this is real, it's such a tiny minority of our population of people who are in this kind of situation.
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Playing the blame game now? I have NO healthcare, No dental, and no eye care plans. Point? I have a faster then normal heartbeat (irregular, and yes I have been tested for this), wisdom teeth that need to come out (they are coming in kinda sideways). I make 12 a hour. Give me pity.
Oh I suffer, but this world wasn't built around me. For the system to benefit everyone, some concessions have to be reach. Point is this world isn't fair, and while things could be made easier you DON"T get to walk away scott free while somebody else has to pay for it, irregardless if it was their fault or not.
I really can pull that for the Canadian (use as an example) healthcare system if you want to point at each other.
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I live in the US and have absolutely awesome insurance for 13 / week for my wife and I.
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On August 24 2010 15:07 Drowsy wrote:
maybe lay off the smoking and find a new god damn job? I have a shitty job at a grocery store not handling toxic waste and get 9$/hr +health insurance. A pretty decent amount of employers, even in non-professional jobs, offer health insurance benefits. I have a strong suspicion this story is made up, it's just too hyperbolic. Who the hell is dumb enough to handle toxic waste for only 8$/hr AND smoke anyway? Even if this is real, it's such a tiny minority of our population of people who are in this kind of situation.
Wow, are you serious about this? It sounds a bit too serious to be ironical if you ment it that way...
Who is dumb enough to do that? People who have low qualifications or aren't demanded by employers for other reasons so they rather do a crappy job than just ending their lifes... The worse the situation and the less the chances to escape it, the sooner people start with drugs, even if it's only tobacco.
The US currently has 9.7% unimployment (15 Million people), 6.8 million of them long-term unemployed. Do you really think every one of these could find a decent job?
The whole story wasn't intended to be important for this sole case. The representation is the important part. The column issues one news a week and goes in-depth into the case to reflect the representation of the single case.
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On August 24 2010 15:10 angelicfolly wrote:
Playing the blame game now? I have NO healthcare, No dental, and no eye care plans. Point? I have a faster then normal heartbeat (irregular, and yes I have been tested for this), wisdom teeth that need to come out (they are coming in kinda sideways). I make 12 a hour. Give me pity.
Oh I suffer, but this world wasn't built around me. For the system to benefit everyone, some concessions have to be reach. Point is this world isn't fair, and while things could be made easier you DON"T get to walk away scott free while somebody else has to pay for it, irregardless if it was their fault or not.
I really can pull that for the Canadian (use as an example) healthcare system if you want to point at each other.
I like your way of thinking but I just cringe when I see "irregardless."
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On August 24 2010 14:58 groms wrote:
This story is pretty shocking. I will say that I have family who live in the states and luckily all of them have decent coverage, but they were hoping that changes would happen soon after Obama's election. They say not much has changed...
The problem stems from the media imho people who don't have healthcare coverage think that the majority of the tax burden will fall on them and they don't want to pay for "other people's" healthcare. As a result nothing happens and when you are the one who gets sick... Its pretty devastating.
Here's hoping they can institute some kind of drastic measures in the future to make the system work better for those less fortunate souls.
Also for canadians who read this. Know that we may soon be in the same boat as our government is not properly funding our healthcare system and many attempts have already been made to privatize healthcare in Canada. It will be a sad day when it happens but I have no doubt that it will eventually since healthcare is a billion dollar industry in the states.
The bill is passed and healthcare will be available for those who are unemployed or denied. It doesn't take effect until 2014 i believe, although we start paying for it this year so you will notice a tax increase if you live in the states. This is unless it is blocked by republicans if they win the senate in the upcoming elections.
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On August 24 2010 15:13 ieatkids5 wrote:Show nested quote +On August 24 2010 15:10 angelicfolly wrote:
Playing the blame game now? I have NO healthcare, No dental, and no eye care plans. Point? I have a faster then normal heartbeat (irregular, and yes I have been tested for this), wisdom teeth that need to come out (they are coming in kinda sideways). I make 12 a hour. Give me pity.
Oh I suffer, but this world wasn't built around me. For the system to benefit everyone, some concessions have to be reach. Point is this world isn't fair, and while things could be made easier you DON"T get to walk away scott free while somebody else has to pay for it, irregardless if it was their fault or not.
I really can pull that for the Canadian (use as an example) healthcare system if you want to point at each other.
I like your way of thinking but I just cringe when I see "irregardless."
It is a word, and yes it is a double negative, but words are also used for the tone and emotion behind it.
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Sanya12364 Posts
Fuck her.
So her solution for not having health care is pulling this BS and trying to get a free ride? And for what? For the shoulder to hurt no less than before? The hospitals and doctors are screwy too and don't have a sense of responsibility to treat these people.
On top of that, why can't she just sue her employer? Unless, of course, it's known risk basically screaming at workers, "This job isn't worth it" or "Find another job!" Seriously quit smoking, too. You kind of feel sorry for her fucked up situation, but she's unrepentant pretentious bitch.
I love all these self-destructive attention seeking whores.
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On August 24 2010 15:55 TanGeng wrote:
Fuck her.
So her solution for not having health care is pulling this BS and trying to get a free ride? And for what? For the shoulder to hurt no less than before? The hospitals and doctors are screwy too and don't have a sense of responsibility to treat these people.
On top of that, why can't she just sue her employer? Unless, of course, it's known risk basically screaming at workers, "This job isn't worth it" or "Find another job!" Seriously quit smoking, too. You kind of feel sorry for her fucked up situation, but she's unrepentant pretentious bitch.
I love all these self-destructive attention seeking whores.
+1, this sob story is just retarded. Why should somebody who's voluntarily subjected themselves to that many health risks "deserve" to be insured? Did anyone put a gun to her head and force her to work handling toxic waste or coerce her into using cigarette? The fact that she was willing to shoot herself in addition to her profession and smoking habit might just reveal that she has some serious self destructive tendencies. As an insurance company, or better yet a taxpayer, I wouldn't want somebody with these kind of proclivities to have health insurance. If it's a big enough deal to her she's willing to shoot herself, it's a big enough deal for her to rethink her life a bit and maybe get a different job with health insurance.
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EPT
