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October 30, 2007
What It's Like To Be Poor
This post recounting the author's first time visiting the doctor with health insurance is heartbreaking and beautiful:
lawdy lawdy, it was like i was in heaven or something. the doctor even told me, well, instead of getting you all drugged up with pain medications, let's see what we can do to make sure that this doesn't happen again. it was like angels came from the heavens and shared with me a piece of what the lord must promise to those who have clean souls.
i was on pins and needles the whole time, however--asking every five minutes--are you sure my insurance covers this? are you sure my insurance covers that? i want to make sure my insurance covers that!! please don't schedule me for anything until i've checked to make sure my insurance covers that!!!
i am waiting for the reply of four different emails to the same person begging them to make sure that everything is covered.
if you have ever wondered, what's so wrong with being poor--this is it: if somebody is gentle with you, if somebody takes time to talk to you, if somebody wants to help you heal instead of drugging you until the pain goes away, if somebody believes you when you say it hurts--there must be a mistake. there must be something wrong, somebody must be tricking you or must've filed the wrong paper work or fucked something up some where.
it's not right, it's not normal or natural, for a poor person to walk into the doctor's office and not expect an all out fight with the office bill collectors, roughness and shortness in conversation from the doctors, raised eyebrows in disbelief from all concerned and a final dismal of "well, you're insurance doesn't cover it anyway, so take lots of aspirin and you'll feel better eventually."
October 30, 2007 in Health Care | Permalink
Comments
The myth of the lazy underclass has always been about soothing guilty consciences and/or justifying the actions of those who have no conscience.
This story is just one of infinite examples showing how the poor are the last ones to expect a handout. They've been forced to shoulder far beyond their fair share for so long that it's far more natural to expect a hidden cost than to think that what they've been told could actually be true.
Posted by: Stephen | Oct 30, 2007 11:37:21 PM
What it's like to be poor in America?
It sucks!
Obama 08, the People's candidate.
Posted by: Aaron | Oct 31, 2007 12:01:17 AM
i accompanied an ex-boyfriend to the hospital half a dozen times. he was uninsured and had multiple surgeries, bouts of MRSA, and constant crippling pain. no one ever knew what the hell to do about it. that post pretty much sums it up. it's fucking awful, for everyone involved. i had health insurance and all i could do was fight with the doctors about treating his pain, and try not to cry when the fifty thousand dollar hospital bills came in the mail. i don't wish it upon anyone.
Posted by: anon | Oct 31, 2007 12:15:11 AM
Ezra, thanks for posting this. Yes, it is heartbreaking and people need to hear it, so thanks for sharing it with a wider audience. Perhaps someday you may even share some of your vast healthcare knowledge on Cure This? :>
Posted by: Anjali | Oct 31, 2007 12:47:22 AM
Another such account. This one from a woman who's been going through charity hospitals for cancer treatments, then has a mammogram in a for-pay facility. She breaks down and cries.
Posted by: anon | Oct 31, 2007 12:47:55 AM
I live in a major city and I'll make $24000 this year. You can decide if that qualifies me as poor. I have no health insurance. As a Vietnam era veteran I use the VA for medical care. I know there are a lot of horror stories around about vets being poorly served by the VA. In years past I've had problems where I had to advocate for myself. But in my case today I find the VA has been great. Just today I seen a nurse practitioner about a chronic health problem and she took her time, (unlike when I was with an HMO through a previous employer) examined me, and explained the several choices I had available in this matter. A couple of those choices involve procedures that must run several thousand dollars. The choices I have to make are not easy decisions but at least I can choose what to do based on what I feel is best for my health and unaffected by financial considerations.
Posted by: Vet | Oct 31, 2007 12:54:19 AM
Moving that she got a piece of dignity back.
Universal health care would be The Shit. It would mitigate so many problems in one swoop.
As a practical matter, we can't afford to treat a generation of people with already preventable diseases like diabetes. We can invest a little now, save fortunes off the amount we're going to pay later anyway and simultaneously increase society's health. Win win.
Posted by: mdy | Oct 31, 2007 3:13:13 AM
Sounds like alot of peoples visits to the IRS. Perhaps you'll regal us with some of those stories??
And Hillary was campaigning again with Uber-racist, so why doesn't that bother anyone on the left??
Too busy screaming Republicans are racists, to see the Anti-Semite, Anti-Jew on the podium?
Can you imagine if a Republican candidate appear with a David Duke type? Ezra would have a cow. But the Jew hating Sharpton is just fine....
Posted by: Patton | Oct 31, 2007 5:35:50 AM
And if they are compaklining they were on Medicaid. Socilaized medicine will be Medicaid for all.
Why would you think for one second the politicians would hand out any better care then they do with Medicaid??
Posted by: Patton | Oct 31, 2007 5:39:29 AM
"This one from a woman who's been going through charity hospitals for cancer treatments, then has a mammogram in a for-pay facility. She breaks down and cries."
Needless to say, this mental stress put upon those needy people, in addition to their pain and their health issues, is the worst possible way to care for a patient. This will make matters worse.
:-(
Posted by: Gray | Oct 31, 2007 6:45:05 AM
"And if they are compaklining they were on Medicaid."
P., you are very confusing lately. I understand you wanted to write 'complaining' in that sentence, but I still don't see your point. People are complaining, even though they're on Medicaid? Huh???
Posted by: Gray | Oct 31, 2007 6:47:38 AM
"And Hillary was campaigning again with Uber-racist, so why doesn't that bother anyone on the left??"
Wtf are you talking about???
Posted by: Gray | Oct 31, 2007 6:48:41 AM
"We can invest a little now, save fortunes off the amount we're going to pay later anyway and simultaneously increase society's health."
Good point. Of course, it's more cost effective to do prevention now than to treat catastrophic illness latewr. Every healthcare expert knows that. But, sadly, to succeed in doing this, everybody has to have insurance that allows him to see the doctor preemptively (ha!) in the first place.
:-/
Posted by: Gray | Oct 31, 2007 6:57:24 AM
In France, that poor person would have to wait 12 years just to see a doctor! The waiting time for Aspirin is 3 months! He'd end up going to India for any major surgery...... he should be happy he's in America, where he can be safe and uninsured. I mean, hospitals have to take him in if he's dying, at least until he's stable - now that's health care, right?
Posted by: Justin | Oct 31, 2007 8:46:12 AM
On a recent ER visit, I had to spend five minutes filling out forms with my non-mangled hand stopping between pages to put my head down so I didn't pass out. All this so they could be sure that I was one of the elite who was qualified to receive care and able to pay for it.
That's fucked up.
Posted by: Mike | Oct 31, 2007 9:43:27 AM
Based on the accounts presented by Ezra and anon, I have to paraphrase Neal Pollack and point out that of the lack of universal coverage has had all kinds of unintended consequences. One of the least tragic, but most irritating, has been an explosion of absolutely terrible writing.
Posted by: Tyro | Oct 31, 2007 9:47:24 AM
And if they are compaklining they were on Medicaid.
I see Patton's making as much sense as he usually does around here...
Posted by: DMonteith | Oct 31, 2007 9:50:43 AM
Justin - Your data is from France? You must mean the France that "Veldar" and the rest of his space alien family come from (SNL).
Please share with the rest of us the reputable source from which you got this data. Or stop fearmongering about universal care. Those are your choices.
Posted by: Cyn | Oct 31, 2007 10:26:56 AM
Joking aside, I get your point, Justin. Data is not the private insurance supporters' best argument on their own behalf.
Posted by: Cyn | Oct 31, 2007 10:29:31 AM
"On a recent ER visit, I had to spend five minutes filling out forms with my non-mangled hand stopping between pages to put my head down so I didn't pass out. All this so they could be sure that I was one of the elite who was qualified to receive care and able to pay for it."
As I just recently told at another blog, in Germany you put your insurance card on the table and that's it. I really can't understand why US insurers can't manage it to at least make it easier for their own customers to check in. What's tf problem???
Posted by: Gray | Oct 31, 2007 10:42:51 AM
"One of the least tragic, but most irritating, has been an explosion of absolutely terrible writing."
Hehehe Tyro!
++
:D
Posted by: Gray | Oct 31, 2007 10:44:31 AM
See Helen Hunt and her son's new,
however bought'n, allergist.
As Good as it Gets
Posted by: has_te | Oct 31, 2007 3:43:15 PM
Gray= They don't want to. The more paperwork you have to fill out, the more likely you are to make a mistake and the more opportunities they have to feny your healthcare.
Posted by: soullite | Oct 31, 2007 5:04:06 PM
What's tf problem???
The guaranteed contract they have with the manufacturers of clipboards. At least, that's the only way I can rationalise it. I'm sure that my anger at those first fifteen minutes in any US medical facility -- the fill-out-the-paperwork-yet-again moments -- is not irrational.
Posted by: pseudonymous in nc | Oct 31, 2007 6:52:46 PM
"The more paperwork you have to fill out, the more likely you are to make a mistake and the more opportunities they have to feny your healthcare."
This makes sense, in a very cynical way. :-|
Posted by: Gray | Oct 31, 2007 7:07:53 PM
On a recent ER visit, I had to spend five minutes filling out forms with my non-mangled hand stopping between pages to put my head down so I didn't pass out. All this so they could be sure that I was one of the elite who was qualified to receive care and able to pay for it.
What information, exactly, were you required to provide for this purpose? Your name, presumably. What else? Social security number? Health insurer member number? Credit card number? Or what?
Posted by: JasonR | Oct 31, 2007 7:36:32 PM
And what is the difference in the Tort System in England and France compared to ours? Think that might have a smidgen to do with the reams of paperwork done here in the states.
Posted by: Dingo | Nov 1, 2007 12:50:30 AM
You people clearing don't comprehend what this women is saying. Sje';s saying she was on the government run socialized medicine system and it real sucked and life is much better on a regular insurance plan.
JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE LEFT WANTS.
Posted by: Patton | Nov 1, 2007 4:29:09 AM
Gray: ''And Hillary was campaigning again with Uber-racist, so why doesn't that bother anyone on the left??"
Wtf are you talking about???"""
Maybe you should read the entire post, before posting. The Uber-racist is clearly identified in my post.
Posted by: Patton | Nov 1, 2007 4:30:16 AM
"The Uber-racist is clearly identified in my post."
Clearly identified? You passinlgy mention Sharpton at the end. Did Hillary campaign with him? Why should he be regarded as a racist? Because he stands up of African American issues???
Really, P., you should give some more coherent reasoning when making your points. Your comments are increasingly hard to decipher recently (not that I care too much).
Posted by: Gray | Nov 1, 2007 8:05:41 AM
