Let's put a face on 1 in 20,000
Kimberly Young died on Wednesday because she could not afford health care!
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/25/swineflu-boehner-constituent/
I wonder if she voted for Boehner.
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/25/swineflu-boehner-constituent/
I wonder if she voted for Boehner.
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I remember a month or two asking what event might precipitate a "come-to-Jesus-moment" for more Senators supporting a full public option or something similar. You said: "An H1N1 true epidemic," or close to that.
"Hey, President Obama; Rahm! Come to Jesus! Now!"
September 25, 2009 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Edward Kennedy/Kimberly Young Healthcare Reform Bill, has a nice ring to it.
September 25, 2009 7:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
According to a study of campaign contributions by the Center for Responsive Politics published in article August, 2009:
'In all, Brown has received $2.7 million from the health care sector since 1989, a campaign cash watchdog. The bulk of it — $1.9 million — is from health professionals, including doctors and nurses.
He’s also received $72,600 from the health insurance industry and $302,154 from pharmaceuticals.'
Hmmmm. But there are tens of millions more being spent by healthcare insurance, pharmaceutical entities now for opposition to plan and Boehner is right in the midst of it.
Follow the Money! Not limited to just campaign donations!
Thanks for this post. Rec'd.
September 25, 2009 9:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lots more people died on the same day from cancer. Where's the compassion for those people?
September 25, 2009 10:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're correct, Bill, that lack of insurance discourages many individuals from the type of screening and preventive medicine that reduces their cancer risk, and so any number of those individuals could also have been cited as an example. In Kimberley's case, the sudden and dramatic transformation from young woman with her entire life ahead of her to a dying patient who might have been saved by earlier intervention is particularly compelling, but she's far from the only one.
September 26, 2009 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
The point that is made, Bill, is that this death is so incredibly unnecessary as is the thousands of other deaths that occur as a result of not having health insurance coverage.
Do I understand your response to mean that compassion now drives your interest in realizing universal health care coverage? Even support for single-payer coverage that establishes "insurance" as a very expensive and wholly unnecessary anachronism?
If not, why not? Please explain.
September 26, 2009 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
No - I don't want universal healthcare. I'm very happy with my current healthcare and think universal payer means much worse care.
September 26, 2009 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Congratulations, Bill! In just a couple short statements here, you manage to lay out just how deeply your sense of compassion lays within your soul.
"God, I hate seeing that happen to another human being, but please don't make me stir from my easy chair to see if there's a way to stop it."
We will differ, if only because I find such short-sighted self-interest to be indefensible.
September 26, 2009 5:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
If the majority of this country wanted single-payer, we would have done it a long time ago.
September 26, 2009 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
There are some illnesses that even good health insurance can't cure:
Terminal Selfishness
September 26, 2009 7:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Everyone who's against Single Payer is selfish? Well then I guess most of the country is selfish!
September 27, 2009 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for posting and recommended. When you think about 45,000 Kimberly Youngs a year, it is more than disheartening.
September 26, 2009 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
http://datingjesus.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/45000-dead-in-the-u-s-each-year-from-a-lack-of-health-insurance/
Boehner and McConnell and Cronin et alia....lack and compassion for their brothers and sisters. It is because of their malice toward the dems and lack of charity for their fellow countrymen that they sit on the sidelines, washing their hands of the entire matter. Pontius Pilate would be proud.
September 26, 2009 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
“Capital is reckless of the health or length of life of the laborer, unless under compulsion from society”
Karl Marx
September 26, 2009 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink