I watched a program on KET last night. It begins with exploring poverty in Bath and Menifee Counties and visits a clinic in New Hope that serves the uninsured. The Physician’s Assistant, Bill Grimes, speaks with compassion of the needs that they can only partially meet.
In the second half, Jere Downs, who writes for the Courier-Journal, is interviewed. She tells a very moving story of losing her retirement savings to deal with her son’s leukemia treatment, of considering bankruptcy, of her current payments of $3,000 to $4,000 a year for his continuing care in spite of having health insurance. She is moved to tears as she speaks of her situation and that of other mothers of children with cancer.
You can watch the video online. The segment with Jere Downs begins at 37:40 and ends at 45 minutes.
The program will be aired a number of times in June and July. The schedule is here:
When family illness takes such a toll on this Ivy league educated, professional woman, we can only imagine the devastation it brings to the majority who are less fortunate.
We must end the tragedies caused by our health care for profit system. We must pass HR 676, national single payer health care.
It is an Expanded and Improved Medicare for All with dental, drugs and long term care added. And all the deductibles, co-pays and premiums are removed. The plan would be publicly funded.
HR 676 will end the ugly dependence of getting care on the ability to pay for it. No one will ever again be bankrupted by medical bills nor deny themselves care because of family economic needs.