Obama's Insurance Stories: "For-Profit Health Care Killed My Wife"

People across the United States are sharing their personal stories with Barack Obama's repurposed campaign arm, Organizing For America, to tell the world about the failures of the U.S. health care system. Some people say they would almost rather die than deal with it.

Joan in Washington, D.C. wrote that she fears she and her husband will be homeless if he can't find a job, and that she is "uninsurable" because of cancer.

"Maybe I should wish for the cancer to kill me sooner -- it might be a better option," Joan wrote. "I am terrified."

Jackie in Logan, N.D., wrote that she cried when she was hospitalized in January out of fear for the bills -- even though she has health insurance.

"I told my husband that perhaps I should just go home and wait to die," Jackie wrote, "as it would be cheaper to be cremated, than to have to exist dealing with the debt of surviving."

Brad of Granite City, IL, wrote that "I may die any day because Health Insurance isn't available to me."

"For profit healthcare killed my wife," wrote John of Nashville, Tenn.

These notes are just a few of "hundreds of thousands" of stories submitted, according to an official with Organizing for America. The site, called "Health Care Stories for America," was launched last week as a counterbalance to claims that the administration's agenda for health care reform will create a government-run bureaucracy that will make you wait in line for a doctor. As many of the stories on the OFA site demonstrate, the current system kind of sucks already.

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Some of the most compelling stories make it to the front when other users "amplify" a story. The more popular stories are subject to vetting by OFA. If something is found to be bogus, it gets taken down. A story will fall off the site if it's flagged as "inappropriate" by three or more people.

On Monday, a post titled "MAULED BY A BEAR THEN MAULED BY BLUE CROSS" disappeared from the site. The anecdote, apparently by well-known bear attack victim Allena Hansen, said it was easier to survive the mauling than to get decent medical care from her insurer.

An OFA official said the item was probably flagged by users, noting that there is no shortage of stories on the site bashing specific companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Many of the anecdotes are very simple. Paul from Saint Helena, Calif. wrote nothing other than that his "daughter almost severed her finger off when she was 1 year old and the bills I incurred that incident kept me broke for a long time."

And there are several messages like this one, from "teringo" of D.C.:

i dont have health insurance

Sahil Kapur contributed to this report.

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Comments

[CanadianBeef]

Face it, there are some actors in a free-market economy that are just leeches, and health insurance is the worst example. You PAY THEM to stand between you and your doctor. Am I the only person who finds this to be nuts?

[CanadianBeef]

There is a deficit of compassion in America. Reading these real, first-person accounts of suffering and pain might not melt the hearts of tea-baggers. But it will, just maybe, involve Americans in the greatest move since FDR to increase human welfare, a word that has for too long been turned negative.

[martinfrosa]

For every "for profit health care killed my wife" story, there are probably two "delays and denial of treatment under Canada's system killed by parents" story. My Irish co-worker said it best, "we have universal health care in Ireland, it is universally bad."

[Hawkman4]

That's funny, as a Canadian, I've never heard even one of these stories.

[CanadianBeef]

Me either. It feels weird to read people outside Canada tell us how bad our system is, when we ourselves are very happy with it. Notice how these critics never seem to have actual evidence, just the urban-legend style of "I hear that in Canada . . ."

[marlojohn]

Read the stories. One of them accuses his insurance company of making him wait 7 days to see a cardiologist for his wife who died in the interval. What's the waiting time in Canada?

[bushlies]

In a sane society these for profit healthcare executives would be in jail for life....for murder.

[CanadianBeef]

Actually, in my country in would be called criminal negligence.
"Every one is criminally negligent who in doing anything, or in omitting to do anything that it is his duty to do, shows wanton or reckless disregard for the lives or safety of other persons."
The American term for the same crime is, I believe, negligent homicide.

[realist2008]

I worked at the Ritz Carlton San Francisco for 11 years and that is
where all of the Blue Cross Blue Shield staff stayed and dined when in SF.
I'd guesstimate the average daily bill of each person to be in the $1000-1500 range
They ate only room service and/or the fine dining room on premises

Nice work, if you can get it.

[CanadianBeef]

Denying health care is a lucrative business.

[karela]

There needs to be a whole lot more said about the common practice by insurance companies of routinely denying payments until and unless it applied for over and over. My daughter was very ill when she was twelve and I was embarrassed when my insurance company refused to pay my doctor. My doctor told me not to worry because they had to send each charge in an average of seven times before the insurance company paid. The sad thing is that it works. Several years ago I had a hysterectomy possible ovarian cancer. My OBGYN said I needed a specialist surgeon. Blue Cross Blue Shield ran me ragged with ridiculous requirements. They refused to pay the surgeon's full fee. Then they said that I had to get the surgeon to send a letter saying why he was needed. He sent that in. Then they said I had to get a letter from my original doctor. He sent that in. THEN they said that I had to get both letters again and send them because I didn't send them in the same envelope. That went on for nearly two years over and over. Finally, it was easier to pay the extra $1500 myself. That's what they count on. It makes money for them and adds immeasurably to the cost of health care in America. Nobody could possibly refuse more legitimate health care measures than insurance companies in America. Bring on a public plan!

[CanadianBeef]

The folks working the hardest to promote public care are private companies, by the shabby way their treat their "clients."

[NedroidPrime]

Why are we still including children in the uninsured numbers? Didn't SCHIP pass? If they are still uninsured, why am I paying more for cigarettes?

[nicholasjh1]

Frankly I think many people don't know how and don't try to use it. kind of pathetic really.

[donttasemebro]

"As many of the stories on the OFA site demonstrate, the current system kind of sucks already."
Kind of?!? Where the heck have you been?

[Hansy Peguero]

Why are people who claim to be pro-life against free health insurance so people can stay alive??

[wdw505]

who claims pro life......i am anti-abort­ion.......­.if you took kids and 3rd term off the table .....i would be pro abortion

[FaceReality2]

They are only "pro-life" for embryos and fetuses. They don't give a damn what happens to you after you are born.

[Samalabear]

For those who think that all Republicans are against single-payer:

http://republicansforsinglepayer.com/?p=1

One of the doctors arrested by Baucus at the Finance Committee meeting was a Repub from this organization.

[Connolly1916]

This is not a partisan issue. I knew there had to be some sane people in the GOP yet.

[observer151]

You have to start someplace if you can't get it done nationally...

Say a few brave governors - eg. California, Oregon, & Washington's said on the same day:

'We're going to add $3,000 to every state tax bill for every single person making over $30k per year (just picking numbers out of the air), and on a sliding scale basis for larger families, and lesser premiums for those making under $30k per year. For this you'll receive unlimited treatment in any public hospital in all 3 states (reciprocity). We're going to use the 'Canadian' fee schedule for doctors for out-of-hospital visits. Doctors providing service this way will get paid-in-full within 30 days of submitting their claims. Patients will have no co-pay for visits with doctors who accept payment according to this schedule."

"Effective immediately, all municipal, county, and state-owned medical facilities will purchase supplies and medications via central purchasing contracts supplying all three states to reduce the costs of providing health services to our residents. We welcome any other states who wish to provide healthcare services under a regime of premiums identical to ours and with reciprocity of services to join us in the endeavor."

Many doctors would prefer the 100% payment guarantee vs. staffing to fight with private insurance companies over every disallowed/reduced claim.

How long do you figure it would be before the 'for profit' sector would either sue or drop their prices in order to keep their hospitals open?

[JuliaRain]

Many doctors would appreciate getting paid in a timely manner and with less needless paperwork that takes up precious time.

[foxistoofunny]

Michael Moore is a" Great American Hero" for exposing the insurance industry and their lobbyists as the biggest threat to our nation.

[jmpurser]

My Girlfriend rented "Sicko" the other day. I did not expect to learn anything from it but I was quite wrong. Really informative both about American health care and the systems used in other countries. Well worth watching.

[JuliaRain]

Did you guys get a chance to watch the PBS special? It was really interesting too. Taiwan looked at the systems of other countries and adopted their own health care by selecting the positive aspects and avoiding the negatives in their study. I think they created their health care system in the 90's.

[helonias]

Prov. 31:8ff. [Commandment to kings.] Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.
Is. 58:66ff. Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Jer. 22:3. Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.
Luke 12:33. "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys."
Luke 3:11. And [John the Baptist] would answer and say to them, "Let the man with two tunics share with him who has none, and let him who has food do likewise."
Mt. 5:42. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

[chasethis]

Nice. Makes you wonder how people can be xtians and Rwingers at the same time. One seems to contradict the other.

[JuliaRain]

I think that's a side effect of devolution.

[LittleOldLadyWho]

It's called a "selective belief" system depending on which verses are cherry picked from the Bible.

And, yes, there is major contraction between the reality of the two.

[foxistoofunny]

Why does the free market system frighten the healthcare insurance industry and their tens of thousands lobbyists?

[foxistoofunny]

If ru..sh limpaw were not a member of the AFTRA union where he gets his excellent healthcare coverage and a middle class radio personality he would not be qualified to get health insurance due to his numerous pre-existing conditions.

[miriamfl]

You are so right. He might be middle class radio persona but his salary at 50 million a year sure is not. He does not deserve to be paid that much while some of the people that worked for those station have been laid off.