Uninsured 22-Year-Old Boehner Constituent Dies From Swine Flu

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/25/swineflu-boehner-constituent/






Fuck this shit!

:mad:

:P

at night is beyond me.

"Why should they waste their beautiful minds on something like that?" THEY DON'T CARE! If you don't belong to their Country Club set you can die hemorrhaging blood in the street. They'd walk right past you and sneer or spit if they even bothered to look.

These people are psychopaths.

So he can smoke himself to death by cancer and he'll get all the benefits his Cadillac health care will give, on our backs. This is one repuke who should be out on his ass next election. Let him buy his own health care and look for a new job at age 50 or whatever he is.

Why rally at the death of the "big people" like Ted who lived full lives. The little people like this young person are dying quietly every day.

Stop being so civil.

Each of us has more power than we make real. Free it.

.

Or are you merely shilling for 1997-standards (pre full VDReceptor mapping completed), for certain CDC-researchers or others with "strong economic interests" in the influenza industry that profits from disease?

$2.99 might have saved the uninsured victim's life (with or without a $25+ flu shot(s) — Cannell, to be sure, does advise getting the H1N1 flu shot, as well as making additional preparations)

Or maybe you just don't really give a damn about possibly unnecessary deaths, given evidence reported by Dr. Cannell?

I'm sure that means we should take her medical advice.


:eyes:


I read a good writeup on Swine Flu at HuffPo... i'll see if i can find the link.

Here it is:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-frank-lipman/swine-flu-what-to-do_b_286245.html


What scares me most is that this vaccine has had very little testing trials, and more importantly, the government has told the company it will not be held responsible if there is a problem with the vaccine. Scary shit.

From Medical News Today:

http://republicanleader.house.gov/Contact/

He has this bullshit chart up on his site about all the regulatory agencies he says would be used under a health reform bill. Well I ask, "How do you know all this when a health care bill has not even been agreed upon and passed. YOU LIE!"

Or think of something different. Ask him what his plan is.

But if it weren't for the health care reform we wouldn't know any of this.

It would be nice if this and every other health insurance caused death would be sent to all the teabaggers. Even the most hardened would eventually see a pattern and the fact that they're the death panels.

Lunatica, ordinarily I wouldn't wish ill on anybody but I wish the 'teabaggers' would have some Saul of Tarsus enlightening experiences!

A number of 45,000 has been thrown out there. I think that's bullshit.

After all, aren't we on the BOTTOM of 'survival' lists among the industrialized countries?

I know one thing, for sure, from experience,...the cancer rates must be damn high in this nation because, in my lifetime, one of every four people I know are struggling or have died from it. What's up with that?

some government assistance. Well that's what Cantor told someone this week.

No right winger will have an empathy for this person. They are incapable of it.

Cantor, in that suggestion to loose everything you've worked for in your life just to get government assistance, also mentioned all the wonderful government programs that can also help.

Rachel showed the clip of Cantor giving this advise and she mentioned that no such government programs exist!

So to get help with health care. all you have to do is give up all your worldly possessions you've worked all your life to get, including your home? Could that have been done in the two weeks this wonderful young girl had left in her life?

I really want to see Boehner even try to make this a "blame the victim" case out of this poor girls needless death!

One angle to universal health care mentioned above, that has merit even for the selfish and greedy, is that epidemics are furthered to a much greater degree when people don't go to Doctors for treatment due to lack of money. This incubates the diseases past the point of no return,. becoming a significant public health hazard!

So if we get a new bubonic plague, it might become a crime not to go to a doctor immediately if you develop symptoms!

I mourn the needless loss of this wonderful girl, just starting out in life. What a needless tragedy! My condolences to her family and friends.

-90% jimmy

and to demonstrate his absolute ignorance of how things work - that asshole has no business being a Congressman when he's more suited for work as a doorstop - there are rules about qualifying for Medicaid.

Putting aside reality for a moment, consider that when you apply for a government program like Medicaid, they want to know if you had assets that you disposed of, and if you got rid of them within a specific time frame, you're disqualified. If it looks like you got rid of your car so that you could say you had no car, you're not eligible.

It's a lot like getting rid of liquid assets - or any other kind - when you're trying to file for bankruptcy.

It just doesn't work like that.

Cantor should be flogged for what he said to that woman in that meeting. That clip should be shown to him and anyone who engages with him in any way every day for the rest of his miserable goddamn life. The worst thing anyone could ever have said.

Stupid fuck. I really loathe Cantor............................

the insurance co. and congressman as a doorstop for the insurance industry. Either way the system has been carefully rigged to block persons like Ms. Young from a fair shot at accessing affordable medical care.

To qualify for Medicaid one has to document every penny of assets and income and also document every penny spent. This used to be for a period of 3 years. Under the Bush administration the "lookback" period was increased to 5 years. Every state had to write their own regs implementing the new law, so some took a little longer than others, but I think all the states have now complied with this new Medicaid requirement.
Horror stories abounded under the 3 year lookback regulation. I personally knew of one nursing home resident in her mid 90's - who had long been too senile to manage any of her finances. When her money was about to run out, the nursing home tried to get her qualified for Medicaid. The only relative the woman had was an elderly niece in her early 80's. The niece was able to provide all the voluminous detail documenting what how the 90-something aunt had used up all her moneys. EXCEPT there was one account that the niece could find no records for. The state welfare office, which administers Medicaid, stalled for two years without approving Medicaid coverage. The woman died before the matter was resolved. The nursing home was stuck for over $70,000, which of course it passed on to all the other residents when it sent out its annyual notice of its hefty monthly fee increase.

My own Mom died at age 94, and was within months of using up the last of her savings/assets. I was having pretty regular nightmares about what would happen if we couldn't come up with all the documentation, or the Welfare Department decided to challenge anything. For one thing, my Mom liked to send little checks($20) to all her grandkids for their birthdays and Christmas. But Medicaid doesn't allow any moneys to be spent on gifts, so that money would have to be returned. Same for someone who donates to their church on Sundays, or tipped the newspaper boy. That lookback period is a prime motivator for the wealthy to hire experts to do estate planning. So they are able to create complex trusts and basically give their heirs most of their money early, and thereby qualify for Medicaid.

The nursing home, by the way, tried to pressure my brother and I into signing a promise to assume Mom's $3,200 a month payments, with the explicit statement that my Mom would be put out on the street if full payments were not made. The nursing home only had a very few beds designated as Medicaid beds, and if one were not available at the point my Mom was approved(IF she was approved), she would be discharged. I researched state law and found out they were lying when they told us WE would have to find another facility with a Medicaid bed available (I looked around, and there were no facilities in the area with Medicaid beds available.) The nursing home would have to find someplace willing to take her if the family didn't take over full payments. You hate to have to fight with the nursing home administration about payments, because your elderly relative is totally at their mercy, and often too senile to report mistreatment.

The monsters who implement this bullshit should be taken out and released into the waters of Antarctica. Monsters, that's all they are.

I'm so sorry you had to endure that crap. Liars, thieves, thugs. That's all they are. And they always get their pound of flesh, don't they?

America is no place to be old or poor. Or middle class. Or, I'm starting to think, anything...................

It's one thing if you have a chronic, debilitating disease like cancer or MD, where your life doesn't depend on IMMEDIATE care.

This woman was infected with a seriously dangerous flu. That demands treatment within DAYS, not months.

Grrr. This story makes me genuinely angry.

for being a 22-year-old recent college graduate who worked in a coffee shop.

If she'd just had the Christian decency to be a 60-something male CEO or congressman with a rich family, this wouldn't have happened.

How dare people be working-class or lower-middle-class? Why don't they ALL get Wall Street jobs like people who MATTER do?




:sarcasm:

"I'd rather be alive and poor than dead - what's more important?"

I couldn't believe my ears. What is wrong with these people?!

This sounds like those anti-abortion types who carry signs that read, "Thank God my Mom didn't have an abortion," referring to themselves, like we're all suppose to think, "Wow, if xyz's mom had an abortion, he/she wouldn't be here now!"

:rofl:

make exceptions for them, even though they are a selfish sociopathic minority.

Poor young girl...

And I wonder if Boehner has weighed in on her needless death?

:cry:

You know, the "America" that is a de facto Third World country.

The Republicans in Congress (and many of the Dems) live in the other America: the bright, shiny city on the hill that most of us will never be allowed into. The city where everyone has adequate health care, adequate shelter, adequate food and clothing, meaningful work, and guaranteed financial security.

to specialize in international medicine working the underserved in 3rd world countries. I told her by the time she gets out of college that will be us the United States!

we are here.

And make it public.

derive smug satisfaction from funerals that are "cheaper" than health care.

What a tragedy. I am afraid that we will be seeing more of these kinds of stories in the months ahead.

If some of these heartless SOBs don't care about this poor young woman you would think that they would at least be smart enough to realize that lack of medical treatment will help spread the virus and makes us all more vulnerable.

My heart goes out to Ms. Young's family and friends.

Only two things for Boehner to do at this tragic time: Work on his tan and hold a fundraiser with insurance lobbyists.

And I'm sure he won't disappoint.

just awful.

People like her should be fined for not having insurance.

:sarcasm: (just so you know). I'm disgusted by that argument. I'm disgusted by the proposal of a mandate. I'm disgusted at the idea of fining anyone who can't afford something in the first place. I'm wondering what the penalty for not being able to pay the fine is going to be? Jail time?

can't afford the insurance.

I don't think there will be any fines...

:shrug:

What's the definition of "affordable"?

Certainly those definitions change from family to family.

I've heard that some of the plans being proposed contain mandates with fines for not carrying insurance. Obama mentioned this in his health care speech. If you have information to the contrary, I would really like to see it because this has been upsetting me a great deal.

via income level.

It will still be out of reach for many people who work full-time but do not get employer provided benefits.

Although I made a good wage, certainly more than would make me eligible for aid, my mortgage (modest 960sf house, 20% down) is very high. I went without insurance when I contracted. I would have to chose between insurance and saving money for retirement and many immediate needs as well.

While I have insurance through my employer now, that situation made me acutely aware of the problems with the health insurance industry and how 'mandating' the purchase of insurance will NOT solve the problem.

He's a journeyman plumber (just made journeyman). Earns a good enough wage (he'd most likely, being single, be above the cut off). Enough for a young 26 year old bachelor to live on. He can pay his rent, buy groceries, buy modest clothes, a few modest luxeries (a new xbox game here and there, go out with his friends now and then, a new hockey stick for himself for deck hockey team every couple months, a new golf club now and then). He owes no one money, doesn't have credit cards, doesn't have a car or loans of any kind. He doesn't want for anything, and is a happy person happy with his lot in life. But there's *no* way in hell he can afford to buy health insurance, now or any time in the near future. And a $3,500 "fine" for not buying it would make him homeless, plain and simple.

There's a whole lot of people in this country who this mandate would hurt immensely. I can't imagine the choices those who have kids and families will have to make if it goes through. At least my brother would have the option to move back in with my parents, much as he would not want to do that.

It's a violation of human rights to deny a PRISONER haalth care.

If a prisoner (awaiting trail, so not a 'convict') became ill (or, more popularly 'hurt himself when he fell in the shower') in our rural county jail, the Sheriff's department would bring the person to our hospital, release them from custody on their own recognizance, and then, when medical treatment was completed - even if this had meant surgery and two weeks in the hospital - would then rearrest them and haul them back to jail.

In this way the Sheriff's department was not liable for the medical bills (the prisoner was, since they were not a prisoner at the time the services were rendered) and so, usually, nobody got paid ... which is the flip side of people not having insurance, or the means, to pay their medical bills: those of us in medicine who treat all-comers end up giving our services (and sleep) away for free - often to people who will prove all to willing to sue should things not turn out right.

Not having national medical care is not good for anyone.

so the kids in their twenties are covered too, regardless of how invulnerable they feel. it would still be there for them if they need/want it.

A recent survey showed that most uninsured people, young people included, were not uninsured by choice but because of economics.

Someone recently posted an article from Canada that explained that the cost of health-care for everyone (with an exception for those making less then $20k) is only $54 a month. I need to repeat that: $54 a month. No co-pays or deductibles, just $54 a month. Why in the hell can't we do that?

i remember that is how i felt--and the wild and crazy shit i did--my god!

the only reason i had health ins. was because my parents paid for it--granted i couldn't have afforded it but even if i could have, i didn't think i needed it.

She probably KNEW it was a serious infection.

But in her mind, the threat of poverty seemed to be of more importance than her well-being.

This is tragic.

I was referring to some of the bullshit arguments that I've been hearing about why insurance has to be mandated. It's being said that young people don't buy it because they feel 'invulnerable'. Even Obama said something like that in his health care speech. It's really been pissing me off. This story is a very tragic example of what's a stake.

And this story is pissing me off, too.

It's so... outrageous.

To the congressman's office.. get your friends and family to do it as well.. drown his staff in mail all with a copy of this story!!

You almost can't read this story and not feel some empathy but I'm sure that some do not feel any. The picture really brings out the tears. I wonder if it is a bad thing to use her death to help get the public option passed. Maybe her parents and friends can be on the media and in Congress' face.

Goddam politicians...and I put Obama in that category because he's given voice to the RW talking point that people are choosing to spend their money on other things besides insurance. The stats in the article are infuriating. That we allow this, in the supposedly greatest goddam country in the world is absolutely barbaric. :argh:

I am sick and tired of our claiming that when it is a baldfaced lie.

Simply infuriating. :grr:

I've personally known a number of people who have died because they didn't have insurance and didn't get care in time.

Surely we can do better than this.

if I wasn't so damn angry!

She is a part time student and works a 12/hr job about 30 hours a week. She isn't able to get insurance from work and can't afford it on her own. Makes me so angry and I wrote a letter to Obama about this population of Americans - our uninsured young people.

So very sad - something has to be done! :cry:

My stepdaughter in her late 20s was contemplating a new job, that did not have health insurance. One quick search on the internet, and a phone called, netted her insurance for around 100 a month, and for a few bucks more would add in dental. The problem is more that young people, and those around them, aren't educating them on the available coverage for what someone might spend on music downloads in one month. I'm near 50 and I have private insurance for 140 a month for myself.. it's out there, you just have to seek it out.

Also, my girls know how to find community clinics with sliding scales, etc., if they are ever truly in need. Also, many schools offer programs or nurses.

We absolutely need health care available for all...

What a generalization and an insult.
Just because someone is 24 years old doesn't mean they're blowing 10% of their income on music downloads.

The kind of insurance you get for around 100 a month is still going to mean that if you get sick, you won't be going to the doctor because you'll most likely have to pay the cost yourself until you reach the deductible. When you're making around 1000 a month, especially if you're spending 100 a month on insurance, paying for a doctor visit is too expensive.

Also FYI neither my school nor my husband's (different schools) have medical care on campus - that's generally only the very largest universities. Plain and simple, we need single-payer coverage for all. No one should ever die for lack of medical care or fear of its cost.

If you're 24 and need a car to get to school or work, your car insurance is going to take everything but your ramen noodle money, and probably a few loans from the folks.

that won't cover anything, but maybe 20%-40% of a hospital bill (usually up to no more than $100K), if you're lucky. It's not going to cover doctor visits, check ups, prescriptions, clinics, etc.

And those clinics often have wait times of days to get into see a doctor. Emergency treatment at the clinics is generally not on a sliding scale, and wait times can be several hours.

I know, I've been there.

Not as unappealing as dying due to a cureable condition, but it is aggravating that those are the only choices for many. The insurance companies don't deserve what they get from us. They don't take care of their customers very well because it is always profit vs patient.

I think it's fucking insultive to assume all young kids spend money on foollish stuff. I'm not 24 anymore but when I was and didn't make that much money I can assure you I wasn't spending it on foolish things

for 150 a month.

I can't touch anything worth carrying for twice that here. And then there's a huge deductible and copay.

This is the ultimate result of that "freedom" they keep mindlessly chattering on about.
She had the freedom all right, the freedom to die way to young.

some of us have been asking how many people, like this 22 Y\O will not go to the doctor, and die... from quite preventable causes?

then he believes it is perfectly acceptable that kimberly young died--and probably also believes it is perfectly acceptable that anyone in their twenties who is uninsured could die like this.

these politicians are motherfuckers!

IF you can afford the admission price. :eyes:

Did you all see the recent article that the French were enraged that their "co-pay" for hospital stays just increased 25%. It went from approx. $23 per night to just under $29.00 per night. It costs more than that to board your dog in the States!

Meanwhile, back in the old U S A, emergency room costs, lab fees, and all other hospital costs are deeply discounted by the hospitals for the insurance companies. Your MRI costs were $2000? The hospital will accept around $400 from the insurance company as payment in full. But if you are without insurance and have the same procedure done at an ER/regular hospital, you will be pursued by the hospital's bill collectors into the bankruptcy court or your grave, whichever comes first, for the FULL amount of the bill.

In the E.U., everyone who needs eyeglasses gets them. Every kid who needs orthodontia work, gets it. No pre-existing conditions. PLUS, there is no incentive for doctors (who in the US often own the hospitals and clinics) to order unnecessary tests because they need to maximize use of their very expensive equipment, OR to keep insured people overnight just to keep their beds full and profits pouring in.

Thanks! :hi: Although I personally don't have a lot of complaints about the system other than the costs.

Someone noted in one of my health care posts that the H1N1 flu would point out the difference between Canadian and American systems.

In other words, how would a single-payer (e.g. "socialist") vs. a "free market" system deal with a pandemic? Well, I think we have an answer here.

If Ms. Young had been a Canadian citizen, she wouldn't have hesitated ONE SECOND about seeking medical help. She would have KNOWN that her illness was serious and would have had it taken care of quickly, efficiently and with the urgency that her case demanded.

And there would have been ZERO "worries about the cost".

This is a tragic, and ultimately NEEDLESS death.

Just really starting life! I have a 20 year old daughter, I think I might die of horror if such a thing happened to her.

I am so sad for those who loved this young lady. :cry:

Julie

Stuff like this should NEVER happen. What a disgrace.

I thought we were broke.

In terms of natural resources likely that would be China;
- for richness of social justice likely that would be the Scandinavian countries;
- looking at culture I would vote for Japan, France, or Italy;
- in per-capita income Liechtenstein generally is felt to be number one

But for real countries {Sorry, but with population < 40K, smaller land area than Washington DC hard for me to accept L'stein as an actual 'country'}, it is likely Norway

Zimbabwe is last, and I doubt that few would argue with that.

The USA does have the highest GDP ('biggest economy') of all nations (as long as one does not factor in environmental degradation and resource depletion), but that is not what most people mean by 'richest'

In the money-in-pocket-to-spend sense the CIA puts us at #10 (using GDP - per capita (PPP))
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html?countryName=Brunei&countryCode=bx®ionCode=eas&rank=8#bx

Even so, we are likely the wealthiest large first world nation, and not having national healthcare is a national disgrace.

All Boehner will say is she should have gone to the Emergency room. Even though the Emergency room would be triple the cost of a drs visit which she couldn't afford.

Even if you're so heartless as not to give a damn about her, your blue cross card isn't a protective shield to save you from the germs spread by those who either don't have care or who count as insured but get totally inadequate care.

Gone.
For what?

MONEY!
DIRTY FILTHY FUCKING MONEY!

Fuck this shit indeed.

Kicked for this waste of a beautiful young womans life.

The article says she was very committed to social justice and had traveled to Latin America twice on peace/humanitarian trips. She studied fine arts photography - she could have been a great photojournalist/activist.

In a country that lets people die so callously, we don't just lose them as individuals, the loss isn't just to the people who knew them personally. We also lose, as a nation, everything those people might have achieved, which might have benefitted countless others.

Or as Jewish tradition has it, when you save a life, you save the whole world. You save all the descendants of that person. You save the lives that person might someday save.

And when you take a life, or turn your back and refuse to help, you do the opposite.

RIP, Kim.

I've heard about in the past few weeks.

Does Boehner, Cantor et al. think this virus affects everyone except them and their ilk?

My condolences to Ms. Young, and her family and friends. This has GOT to STOP.

But once she graduated in May...she was no longer a full time student and the parents insurance co would no longer cover her...My son went to school with this girl...it is really a big shock ..he just saw her this past weekend she was just a little under the weather but still well enough to go out with friends ..very sad...

my heart goes out to her family..and I worry for mine own...My son spends his weekends in oxford visiting friends still at Miami ...my daughter goes to Miami and lives in the dorms ..I also have some extended family going to Miami..

then sought out a government run healthcare program like Medicaid (which they vote against funding) because the GOP is against a government-run public healthcare option.

:crazy: :mad:

Boner should stand up in front of a crowd of people and tell the grieving family of this young girl that they should have asked their neighbors for help and then held a bake sale to raise the money for her treatment.

By the way, has anyone sent this article to Keith or Rachel yet? Or have they reported it already? This is a story that needs to be splashed all over the media. It certainly deserves much more airtime than the couple-thousand-teabagger march.

They can't afford it and their families can't help them out.

This young woman, in fact any woman or man who dies unnecessarily is just terrible but yet the right people just don't seem to care enough, don't seem to have any sense of urgency about this. This woman and thousands more will die while Washington twiddles their thumbs. Billions for insane wars or for Wall Street, no problem, single payer universal health care though is way too expensive. Real nice priorities. Only in America.

I'm not sure how to tag America today, but I know it's no longer really a true democracy, the people don't really have much of a say anymore, the real power is with the computerized voting machines and rich lobbyists. Thanks Ronnie.

I believe Repub's are robots with one track minds - $$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

So sad!

:cry: :grouphug:

Dinosaurs all feeding at the corporate watering hole

My university, my college town, and boneS***'s the rep where this happens!

Going to contact classmates on facebook.

edit: In contacting classmates, I just learned that witch schmidt also attended 'my' college.

and very common among 20 something year olds. I'm in that group right now. It's just not something we think about until it's needed.

I have an interesting anecdote, and very revealing of how clueless many are - I was once talking to a friend's mom...and he went to college with me and I remember he was uninsured and sprained his leg once playing basketball a few years ago. So anyways I knew she worked in the health care industry as a transcriptionist. I made a comment that yeah, we might see changes and she replied "well we don't want what they have in Canada". At that point I just kinda shrugged and walked away (no point in arguing with my friend's mom). But it was VERY revealing of just how clueless so many are! Arggh!

I'm sure Boehner doesn't give a fuck. His primary job function is to keep his job - and to do that, the easiest way is by doing the bidding of the health insurance industry. Wow. What a job. Of course, I gotta wonder how fucking stupid are his constituents? Ah well, as stupid as Joe Wilson's, or Cantor's, or any others...And probably many brainwashed folks like my buddy's mom.

Regarding H1N1, was one of the first things I wondered when the media started going on about "how well prepared Bush made us for swine flu" when it first broke out. I wondered, how the fuck are we so well prepared when over 46+ million people (and rising) have NO HEALTH CARE. NOTHING. NADA. ZIP.

What also amuses me is warning labels on medications. "If you have complications please contact your health care provider". Who the hell is that? I have none! And neither do millions of others in this country.

I so want to leave this country now. If I could get a job in Canada, I'd take it in a second. I've been feeling like shit the last week and with no health insurance. I lost it after getting laid off. COBRA was insanely expensive and I let it expire. I've been feeling a bit better but I'll admit I was worried more than once I had H1N1 this week and wondered what I'd do if that were the case. My head is still stuffy as all hell. Man, I just hope this thing passes soon.

that someone that young should die because she didn't have health insurance. Wonder what Boehner thinks now?

and hits suddenly like with her. I don't know if you have to have the flu for days while this bacteria causes damage in some but a man here in my town died just like that. Sad.

That is so sad, and my condolences goes out to the family. Bonehead and the rest of the selfish, "don't-give-a-fuck about all people" RePUKES need to quit bullshitting and get with the program!

whose panel decided the costs should be obscenely high, yes...

Yup. Makes sense to me.

:sarcasm:

and I use the term loosely, that doesn't have decent health care. Have they taken away the free health services to students on campus? They weren't great when I was in school, but we had them. Of course I did my own blood count and took it to the campus doctor to prove I had mono after he told me I had a bad cold for a month.

That is what many Republicans say. Had some guy arguing that line with me a while back. Roughly his quote, "many young and healthy people so a careful cost-benefit analysis and make an informed decision not to have health insurance."

aren't interested in coverage, they want to spend their money on something else, or they're healthy and don't need insurance at this age are uttered by people who need re-education. It's not health insurance people of all ages need, it's health care. Communicable diseases run rampant at Universities. Student Health centers are not staffed for epidemics. We're not just talking about Mono any more. How many more like the student in this story? We have got to look out for each other. The more we stick together on this issue, the greater our likelihood of success.

Such a tragic loss of a young life. The world is a darker place because we will never know her contribution. :cry:

We are so backwards that we can't protect our students, our future. You're right. Fuck this shit!

First, according to the article, there has been no laboratory confirmation that she had H1N1. Second, she did in fact seek medical care prior to her visit to McCullough Hyde Hospital, having gone to an urgent care center during the previous week. Additionally, treatment for a young, healthy person contracting an Influenza-like illness would have been rest, fluids, ibuprofen (or equivalent); basically, pretty much what she was doing. I understand the desire to frame this story in the "Death due to no insurance" category, but facts are pretty sparse here.

The question is, would anything have changed if she had insurance? I am not sure. There is a mortality rate associated with influenza (est 25,000-35,000 deaths/year in this country).

Is that hard to understand? Your statistical argument is useless because not even you know if she could have been treated successfully before she got so sick that she died.

And paying for that out of her pocket. I wondered if that discouraged her from seeking more treatment until it was way too late.

Indeed facts are sparse. She may have died even with the same insurance Cheney gets. But her lack of insurance plays a big part in the sequence of events.

Had Young done some jail time for not having insurance, she's have had insurance.

and that means people at DU

have some sort of resistance/antibodies to one of the components of this Swine flu.

This younger demographic - out of college, too old to stay on the parent's plan, underemployed or in a job without benefits, could potentially be where the flu breaks out strongly.

(In the Spanish Flu epidemic, it was also the very young and the older who did not take the brunt of the fatalities.)

unless they can tie it to something they care about such as health insurance

It helps... but it dosen't stop it.

gullible others believe them, so lots more people get sick than need to, among us and out in the rest of the population.

Disgusting, IMHO.

:nuke:

Cost of a doctor's visit plus rapid influenza screen plus Tamiflu would have been $200 minimum, if she was self pay at a doctor's office. How many folks struggling to make ends have an extra $200?

Blame HIM for this happening. No more being nice. These people are sick. It is a sickness to be a Republican.

there ain't no cure,
the rich stay healthy while the sick stay poor.
U2

American's overwhelmingly voted for a change in the status quo. We want to make decisions with our doctors, and not have to litigate with the pharma and insurance co.

:cry:

This is just awful - I'm losing my cool with these heartless selfish Republicans - I wish we could kick them out of office on moral grounds. :mad:

some sort of civil suit against Boehner....even if it just for publicity. This needs to make national news....!!!!!

I detest those politicians who are fighting against a public option. And I detest the ones who are not standing up for it and just sit there wavering.

Pathetic...Congress is pathetic. The prez is pathetic. May the insurance companies rot in hell.

This is just bullshit that people have to die because they cant see a dr.

:cry:

more lives will be lost each day. And while the insurance companies sit there and deny, deny, deny, how many more will end up dead? What does it take in this country to actually change things?

I've watched some politicians on c-span discussing health care and stating we can't do this or that because it costs too much. Well what is a life worth and what if that were their child? When did we lose things like compassion and caring and real empathy for each other in this country? One death from lack of health care in this country is one too many.

My heartfelt condolences go out to Ms Young's family. No amount of money or health care can bring that beautiful young lady back to her family and loved ones now and it's a real tradgedy that things like this occur every day in this country. It makes my heart sick.

not very well, but I had hung out with her with other friends before. She went to the same college as me. It was quite a shock learning this, and it just makes me so fucking angry with how the system is, it's just fucked all to hell.

Congratulations, Mr. Boehner: One less probable Democrat in your District:

{with story attached}

What a ludicrous statement.

This poor girl neglected seeking medical attention because she was not insured. As a result her condition became worse and she was rushed to the hospital. I'm sure there was intense medical efforts expended at McCullough Hyde to stabilize her before being airlifted to the University Hospital. Where again because of her critical condition, extraordinary efforts were taken to save this young person's life. She was 22, therefore her parents are no longer responsible for any hospital expenses she incurred. The 2 hospitals and air ambulance will not be paid. Hospitals and medical personnel cannot work for free. So they will pass the cost along to their insured patients in the form of higher costs. The insurance companies, in order to maintain an outrageous level of profits will address those higher cost from the hospitals by denying part of charges as above the reasonable and customary cost, increasing dedudctibles and premiums.

This happens everyday all across the nation. People, who because they do not have health care insurance, refuse to seek medical care until they are very sick. Then the treatment is much greater and more expensive. Then all of us pay. Why don't the idiots get it.

That not even counting the loss of Ms. Young. Who knows what she may have gone on to contribute to society. A sorry loss.

Rep. Boehner should be ashamed.

contact others, AND boehner. I have.

http://www.wcpo.com/content/specials/2009/swineflu2009/story/Toledo-Paper-Miami-Grad-Did-Not-Die-Of-H1N1/almpyQyRdUGYRxIC6VmDpw.cspx

Young's parents tell the Toledo Blade she died at University Hospital from complications of viral pneumonia.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

Congress.

If only she would have waited a little longer they could have avoided all that expensive, last minute critical care.

I just noticed that she was a member of Students for Peace and Justice, so she was probably a commie and had it coming. :sarcasm:

Hell will freeze and then refreeze first.