Perhaps it' s a trite issue, beaten to death already by folks like Michael Moore and John Stewart, but I am disgusted by the health care system in America. How come every other country seems to have it worked out so their citizens aren't stuck without medical attention in dire situations or in debt because of one trip to the ER.
When I came across this article in the NYT, I immediately sympathized with all of the young adults willing to share their stories. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/nyregion/18insure.html
I am lucky. I know I am fortunate to be on my parents' insurance, at least for another couple months. So when I got sick this past Monday and had to make an unexpected trip to Urgent Care, I didn't think about it as much as one of my peers might have. Parked in the waiting chair filling out heaps of paperwork to ensure I did, in fact, have legitimate insurance, I sat, miserable, wishing the clock would speed up so I could just get home and pass out in bed. That's when a middle-aged couple slowly shuffled in.
The man walked what appeared to be his wife or girlfriend up to the front desk, arm around her shoulders, gazing lovingly into her eyes. She, however, appeared to be in immense pain, pursed her lips and squinted her eyes at the clerk.
"I'm having chest pains," she said. "Bad ones. I can't breathe."
The clerk quickly went back behind the magic double doors that seemed to let no one through in my half hour of waiting. She returned with a nurse who proceeded to take a quick look at the woman to make sure she would be able to remain standing.
"She's fine," the nurse proclaimed. "Well, she's not fine. But it's not dire." He went back behind the double doors again and left the woman, crumpled and writhing in pain, clutching her chest, alone in the waiting room with her companion.
She trudged over to the check-in desk and said she'd like to fill out the necessary paperwork. When the clerk asked her what her insurance company was, she wrinkled her face and said she didn't have insurance.
"That'll be $90 in cash then," the clerk retorted without so much as the blink of an eye.
"I don't have $90 in cash," the woman responded, helplessly.
"Then I'm afraid we can't help you," the clerk answered.
The woman, cloaked in an embroidered summer dress despite the cold February fog, fell backward, hysterical. Her partner consoled her gently, ushering her away from the front desk. The woman broke into full wailing, sobbing that her chest hurt and that she couldn't breathe. The sorrow splashed from her wounded eyes, tears dripping down her face as her escort slowly led her out.
I hate our health care system. It makes me ashamed to live in this country. This country that prides itself on equal opportunity where dreams are made possible every day. But isn't it time we scale it back a bit, so first we take care of basic human needs? Why don't we start there instead and focus on treating the sick, broadening health care access and dropping ridiculous policies like insuring only the top of the top?
I've recently become very interested in these issues and hope to continue writing about them. This summer, I got to try my hand at my first investigative series reporting for the Baker City Herald in eastern Oregon. I explored the health impacts of living in rural Oregon, the major differences from living in a bustling city, possible factors and personal stories that have shaped the Baker community.
http://tinyurl.com/c7fazn
http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Rural-healthcare-access-Certain-treatments-require-patients-to-travel
http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/It-takes-a-village-to-conquer-cancer
Stay healthy. ~
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