"Sometimes our life span exceeds our net worth. But that's mostly an American phenomenon." ~ Dada
eu·tha·na·sia (yū'thə-nā'zhə, -zhē-ə)
n. The act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or a condition requiring medical services and attention beyond one's health insurance coverage, usually in the United States.
A case for euthanasia? Example: (from last week's Wall Street Journal)
"MERCED, Calif. -- One day in late July, Jim Dawson happily returned home. He had spent the previous five months in the hospital battling an infection that nearly killed him. The phone rang shortly after Mr. Dawson and his wife, Loretta, entered their house. . . . . . . . It was the hospital. California Pacific Medical Center was calling to remind the Dawsons that they owed it $1.2 million. . . . . . . . Mr. Dawson, 61 years old, had health insurance through his employer, but had maxed out his plan's $1.5 million lifetime cap halfway through his long hospital stay. In addition to the bill from CPMC, Mr. Dawson owed tens of thousands of dollars more to scores of doctors who were involved in his care. Mr. Dawson and his wife's combined assets totaled a fraction of their medical debt.
" 'I had never thought in a million years that anything like that could ever happen,' says Mrs. Dawson."
(Dada note: This is just another example of comparing apples with oranges. Here, in this case, Mrs. Dawson mistakenly compares a million years with a million dollars, but that's what we here in America are forced to do when confronting healthcare costs that can bankrupt you before your sick leave runs out.)
6 comments:
true story? sad but true...
there is no such thing as Health Insurance...it is a myth...an illusion....
and so is health...
I could move to a 3rd world country and have better care and better health.....
I'm on medicare as my sole health insurance package. Now is the open enrollment period which closes on December 31st. It is a nightmare to figure out which plan may or may not work for me. I've attended seminars, researched the Internet, and devoured the literature from the insurance companies. I'm still bewildered and just hope and pray that I have some protection when and if I really need health insurance. Yes, I've thought of moving back to Oregon just for the "right to die" provisions found in their state laws. How have we failed each other so badly in this country? But, don't stress, we have plenty of money to fight wars and pay for them for a long, long time to come.
Don't get me started on health insurance!
As Eprof said those dealing with Medicare may have to sift through 60 different potential plans, but the one thing in common, is that they have $ caps. So for meds, once you max out their (not so generous) limit, the rest of the year is out of pocket. My 82 year old Mother pays over $500 a month for meds alone.
Oregon's Right to Die law is for terminal disease only. We had to fight hard to keep that law- had to re-vote on it a few times, and Ashcroft himself, when he was Attny Gnrl, tried to go after the State to reverse it. Other States have tried, but we remain the only State in the Union that has the law. It has always blown my mind that we can put down beloved pets to alleviate their suffering, but Grandma has to tough it out?
With insurance, often times the final way it plays out is:
The good news is you are going to live!
The bad news is here are the bills you have to pay...
I understand in the U.S., medical costs are one of the top reasons for going into bankruptcy.
You know, I was somewhat reluctant to broach this subject because I was aware how sensitive you are to it, Fran. (No, I didn't do it to provoke you, ok? ~grin)
But aware of your recent experience with the system, I know how passionately you feel about it.
I think many of us have some pretty poignant views on this subject. Those who don't I envy in a way, but they have a rude awakening down the road. (That's because our gov't leaders are well insured and taken care of, plus indebted to the pharmas, insurers, hospitals, etc. so I don't expect anything to change there too drastically too soon.)
And, yes enigma, what good is the world's best healthcare system (myth?) if people can't afford it or it bankrupts 'em?
eprof: Well, I can see you're gonna be of no help to me when I have to make some decisions in the near future about medicare. Does it help if you know which illnesses, ailments you'll suffer from in the future so you can pick out the plan that offers the meds you need to treat 'em? (I'm so not looking forward to this.) The fact each of us has to do this, to "go shopping" is bullshit we have only our gov't to thank for.
And, yes, Oregon's right to die is the envy of the more compassionate (I guess that excludes extreme right-wingers, huh?) that can exercise the same mercy on a loved one as they do on their pets.
But as far as entertaining thoughts of moving back to Oregon, those have been placed on the back burner for now since the pictures from the past few days there have come across the TV screen. (Instead, I'll wait for Oregon to come to me. At the end of the month. To the Sun Bowl.)
Nah~ I can handle it, and compared to the Dawsons my measly $2100 for hospital co pays seem "reasonable" or something I can pay off in my lifetime. But those co pays are just for the hospital- I'm sure I am well over $3500 out of pocket for the year, combined.
Other years I have bothered to see if I qualify for some kind of tax for medical expenses break, we are just shy of qualifying.
Such is life- livin' the scream, I mean dream.
Good to know Oregon's Right to Die wasn't struck down by the DC zealots. I know they tried. Same with CA's medical marijuana law. Maybe there's some hope afterall, between the two places, Dada. Live on CA/OR border, crossing back & forth as necessary for what ails you.
I can't remember which dem candidate said this at a debate (I think it was Edwards), that if congress wasn't willing to pass universal health care, he would threaten to take away their own plush plans. 'Course, the prez doesn't have the power to do this, only congress can vote away their health care. So there we are ... we elect people who vote all the best of everything for themselves & leave muddy footprints on the backs of the electorate. Gotta change that ...
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