Jon Kyl Locks Constituents Out, but Will Arizona Opt Out?

PHOENIX, AZ -- Senator Jon Kyl recently quipped to NBC's David Gregory on Meet the Press, "I'm not sure that it's a fact that more and more people die because they don't have health insurance."

Constituent Shirley McAllister took exception to Sen. Kyl's narrow view and decided to help him broaden his understanding. On October 26, McAllister and a small group of supporters stood in front of Kyl's office. McAllister carried with her a copy of a recently released Harvard medical study. The study analyzed data from national surveys carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), assessed death rates after taking into account education, income, and many other factors, including smoking, drinking, and obesity. It estimated that lack of health insurance causes 44,789 excess deaths annually.

David Himmelstein, co-author of the study, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and a primary care physician at Cambridge Health Alliance remarked, "The Institute of Medicine, using older studies, estimated that one American dies every thirty minutes from lack of health insurance. Even this grim figure is an underestimate -- now one dies every twelve minutes."

McAllister also wanted Senator Kyl to hear about the uninsured by bringing his attention to the plight of her daughter-in-law, Linnea, who is paralyzed with multiple sclerosis. McAllister strongly feels her daughter-in-law would not be nearly so sick if she had not been denied insurance and gone untreated for years. Although currently covered by a government insurance plan, Linnea, 51, is now only able to carefully chew food when it is hand fed to her. Although once a vibrant woman, her voice is now but a faint whisper.

For several minutes, McAllister and her small group of supporters, including former congressional candidate Bob Lord, stood in the hallway outside Senator Kyl's Phoenix office, able only to peer through its locked doors. Only after a receptionist was spotted and reporters began taking her photo was the small group reluctantly admitted. All cameras and press were barred from the office.

McAllister's group was ushered behind closed doors where they met with staffer, Jane Grace, a registered nurse who serves as Kyl's health care representative.

When told by a constituent that her prescribed medications were unaffordable without insurance, Grace responded that people can receive medications from community health centers. The constituent explained that, although she works, she can't afford insurance. She makes too much money to qualify for help through community health centers, but doesn't make enough to pay the monthly $5,000 for her medications.

During the meeting, Grace admitted that she believes people do die because they lack health insurance, but then later said that no one can make a direct correlation between not having health insurance and dying.

The group of constituents reminded Grace that the Harvard medical study indeed found a direct causation between lack of health care and death. Grace assured the group that she would read the study and share it with Senator Kyl.

After the meeting, McAllister expressed hope that Senator Kyl would take a look at the Harvard medical study and, by so doing, come to a new understanding that people do indeed suffer and die without health care insurance. She said, "I hope that Sen. Kyl will take a second look on possible reform to health care and a public option."

Former congressional candidate Bob Lord said after the meeting, "You'd have to be breathtakingly dishonest or breathtakingly ignorant to say what Kyl said. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and think he's ignorant."

As the small group went their way, word came in that U.S. Senator Harry Reid announced that Senate Democrats had agreed upon legislation that would include a public option provision, but would also include a provision for individual states to elect to opt out of granting their citizens an opportunity to choose public health care over private insurance.

Today Senator Kyl was quoted during a press conference as saying, "I agree that states should have the option to opt in."

As Kyl's office began to attract calls, his spokesman, Ryan Patmintra sent out an email titled "Correcting the Hill," using the language editors typically employ to reel back factual errors.

Today's report in The Hill regarding Senator Kyl's position on an "opt-in" for a government insurance plan is inaccurate. His statement was taken completely out of context, and he, along with every member of our caucus, does not support a government-run insurance plan in any form. Everyone who has been following this debate should know Senator Kyl has been leading the charge against a government takeover of our health-care system.

Since only two days earlier Kyl's constituents were first locked out, then the press was left out, the only question remaining is if Arizona will decide to opt out--or in.

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Comments

[RightWingMarine]

people seem to confuse health insurance and healthcare but the two are seperate. Nobody dies because they don't have health insurance, they might die because they did not receive timely health care but there are no death certificates that list lack of healthinsurance as a cause of death.
Why are some third party payors preferable to other third party payors? instead of saying that Linnea did not receive health care because she didn't have insurance why not say she didn't receive health care because her family and friends chose not to pay her bills? It's just as valid perhaps moreso because her family and friends stand to gain something from Linnea receiving healthcare. Don't forget insurance companies are a business and no business wants to take on unecassary risk. If a person has a history to cause auto wrecks they may find it difficult to find an insurance company willing to give them auto insurance, should we have a govt run auto insurance program?
As unfortunate as Linnea's story is I still fail to see why her medical problem is my responsibility. At what point did her plight entitle her to my money?

The whole opt out thing is an insult. States will have the option to opt out of using a public option. That would be great but we don't get the option to opt out of paying for it. Gee thanks. How about if my state opts out then my state also opts out of paying for it?

[minerva117]

The CEO of Aetna, Ronald A. Williams, was paid over 24 million dollars in 2008. What contribution to society did he make that was worth that kind of money? What exactly do insurance companies contribute to the well being of patients. They will only insure you if you are well. Mr. Williams' salary was gained on the backs of regular people paying premiums and getting nothing in return. There are no laws or rules to inhibit their greed! They are exempt from anti-trust laws. I don't see that Linnea did anything but crash against an insurance company wall that is rigged from the get-go to just take in money and not pay it out. And only a cold hearted snake would blame her family for not being rich enough to pay her medical bills. Shame...GOP mantra, "I got mine, so screw you"!!

[pdog]

Easy for you to say you get government health care not insurance but health care just because you were a member of the military. If you don't want your tax dollars spent on her health care why should you be entitled to free health care from the government. Just because you volunteered to serve you country. Linnea doesn't want you to pay her way all she's asking for is affordable health insurance.

[RightWingMarine]

I am stunned that is not a reaction I expected. Do you really not understand the concept of receiving a benefit in exchange for working?

While I do qualify for medical care through the VA, because of my injuries, I pay for insurance through my employer (my contract has ended) because the quality of care at a VA hospital just isn't there. But I invite you to visit the US govt flagship hospital. This hospital is the very best our elected reps feel is good enough for us, Walter Reed hospital. Remember when that rat hole was in the news?

[seawolf77]

You have to understaand the Arizona sun turns their brains to mush.

[den1953]

You can't debate the political deaf they can only hear what Rush Limbaugh says they are truly a party out of touch with Americans!

[pattio66]

I'm not from AZ, never even been that far west, but I can vouch for the notion that people are dying due to lack of health care. I've buried three of my peers in the past couple of years because although they all worked full-time, their employers did not provide health care benefits nor could they afford to purchase private policies. Had they been able to seek medical attention when they first started having problems, they would all be alive today. As it is, their children are orphaned, their families bankrupted, and once-productive taxpayers are dead.

[Auburn McCanta - Huffpost Blogger]

pattio66, I'm so sorry for your loss. It breaks my heart.

[janeycat]

His voice grates on my only nerve......the others have all stretched beyond their breaking point and has snapped ..

[Smithn]

“Kyl shrugs off these stupid blogs and ads as unworthy of a response”--a quote from an AZ Republic story about being spotlighted in the White House 'Call 'em Out' Blog. So, does “Stupid blogs” include you and me​?

Arizona Ladies, May I remind you : 1. Kyl is one of the “Dirty 30” who voted for rape by voting against Franken's anti-rape amendment. 2. He doesn't believe women need maternity insurance because HE doesn't need it! 3. He doesn't care that 2 people die per day for lack of insurance in his home state (MTP interview) 4. He doesn't care what you have to say about it.

[idyllick]

You are absolutely correct.

He doesn't care.

But I do care.

I care about my neighbor.

I care about all those Democrats + Independents in AZ
who don't have the big lobby $ to bUy his + McCain's vote.

So almost everyday I call them both and speak my mind.

I also am polite and have respect for their staffers.

All of you who feel the same way can do the same and start by calling them.

Start registering voters.

WE CAN VOTE THEM OUT!

[Auburn McCanta - Huffpost Blogger]

Good on you, idyllic.

[Auburn McCanta - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you, Smithn, for reminding readers of Sen. Kyl's other recent missteps regarding not only Arizona woman, but women across this country.

[antmousie]

Did that. Not that it makes much difference. At least his office staff are polite.

[antmousie]

This was supposed to be in reply to idyllick who provided phone number for Kyl.

[antmousie]

Olympia Snowe, in explaining why she would vote against a bill with a PO, made a great case to add a Trigger mechanism for any states that would Opt Out. If costs were not brought under control and/or consumer protections not enacted, a PO would be triggered, on a state by state basis. Kyl would vote against anything that would take away the right of industries to make whatever they can squeeze out of people. Corporations have rights, people do not.

[NAOMA]

SRP "owns" Jon Kyl, lock, stock and barrel. He has the best insurance in the country
with his "government" policy for Senate members. We all know the SENATORS have the best in the nation.

[hunt49]

In, please. I'm from Arizona, I'm an independent, and I vote. Got that, Kyl?

[Auburn McCanta - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks, hunt49. Yes, for Arizona -- In. In. In.

[snapshot1940]

Sen. Kyl continues to be a huge embarrassment to the thinking people of Arizona. He is nothing more than the representative of the big money companies who own him, lock, stock and barrel. HE HAS ABSOLUTELY NO INTEREST IN THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OF ARIZONA!

[idyllick]

Live in AZ? - Call Kyl's office and ask if our state will OPT IN?

Here's the number - 202.224-4521