When it comes to grassroots organizing, nothing beats a local news paper. Written by the people of the community, for the people of the community, local papers are in touch with the pulse of every day life within our streets. And that's why we get excited when we see awesome editorials like the one in this week's Machias Valley News.
As our Ambulance Tour swept through Maine, we spread information about our current health care system and the urgent need for reform. The editor of the Machias Valley News agreed. Not only did news of our tour make the front page, (available here: august-26-2009-front-page1.pdf), her editorial emphasized what we'd been saying to Mainers all week: reform can't wait. From the editorial:
According to the 2007 American Journal of Medicine's report on medical bankruptcies in the United States:
- 62.1% of all bankruptcies have a medical cause
- Most medical debtors were well educated and middle class; three quarters had health insurance.
- The shares of bankruptcies attributable to medical problems rose by 50% between 2001 and 2007.
Among the causes of medical bankruptcy were medical bills that exceeded 10% of a family income, mortgaging of homes to pay medical bills, debtor or spouse lost two or more weeks of income due to illness or to becoming disabled, and debtor or spouse lost two or more weeks of income to care for a family member. From 2001 to 2007 bankruptcies linked to illness have increased to two-thirds of all bankruptcies.
Hinson's editorial then went on to discuss some of the stories shared by activists on our Ambulance tour through Maine:
The folks who showed up to tell their tales to the Health Care Tour were not simply the unemployed or the uninsured, although there were some of those present, but were the insured who realize that without adequate health care for all, they will always be the ones to feel the burden of making high payments in order to cover the uninsured.One woman who is uninsured and prefers to remain anonymous, said this, " It kills me that for the first time in my life I'm without health insurance ... and considering moving away to find a job with health care benefits if I can't get them here."
Another person with a good job, with benefits, has a very high deductible because that is the package the family, with two college students, can afford. Her husband needs back surgery but is trying all other (read - cheaper) methods of treatment.
These are people in their 40's and 50's. Waiting for Medicare at age 65 is not an option when you really need surgery. Some companies promote medical tourism to lower health care costs for their employees.
According to MedJourneys.com there is a cost saving of up to 80% when leaving the U.S. for surgery. Their estimate for the average cost of a hip replacement looks like this:
- USA - $53,507
- India - $9,900
- Turkey - $9,900
- Costa Rica - $13,900
The travel package includes hospital, medical and doctor charges - guaranteed, air fare, accommodations, medical records transfer, and meals, among many other components.
How is this possible? How is it possible in the 21st Century that people in this country have to consider leaving the country to have surgery because they can't afford it here?
How is it possible that we are still unable to come up with acceptable health care coverage for all?
If not now, when?
When, indeed Karen. When indeed.
