A social experiment: An open letter to Americans

Today's Date:

Allie's Story

An uninsured Registered Nurse

I read your letter and was moved that you focused on what matters, Health.

And sadly that element has not been lost from the argument here.
I am an RN of more than 20+ years.
I am an UnInsured RN...I fall into the Cancelled
category, I also work part time jobs-
but there are no FT where I live where
I could have maybe access to Insurance.
Many Hospitals here are doing that-
only hiring part time - so they don't
have to provide benefits.
I did have insurance- and was cancelled
due to Family history- cancer and Heart issues.
( Which if anything I should be getting more
care,screening and monitoring.)

If I need Medical Care I have to go to
a small local Clinic ( Doc-in-box they are called)
and pay CASH up front and only can pay
for the visit-meds or procedures are 4-8 times
the cost of what people with Insurance pay.

If I go to ER I get a bill for hundreds of dollars.
( I have only been once in 5 years and it was due
to bad fall- the care was terrible- because I was
viewed as UnInsured- and cost over 1500 dollars for
4.5 hours of sitting and NO care-not even a pill offered
for pain, I saw one doctor for 3 minutes-yes I timed it).

You did indeed focus that so many
people should not be struggling and angst
ridden from this issue.

But the only issue that you actually
kind of got wrong..sorry to say,
is about WHY so many people are UnInsured
or UnderInsured in America. And when I say UnderInsured,
I mean people that have insurance, but at the
last minute the Insurance Companies
decided What and how much they will pay,
leaving thousands in Horrendous Debt.

They also are refusing care or cancelling care
to people with Pre-Existing Conditions
(ie. Heart problems, even HighBP,
pregnancy, Cancer- any and all, even history
in family.) People once cancelled are
blacklisted- and can not find Insurance or Care.
Also More than 6 Million have been laid off here
this year- they too have No Care or access.
People that lost their homes- the same
thing- they are viewed as a credit risk.

Many people even lose their homes and
live the rest of their lives in debt trying
pay for the care of a loved one.
80% of those coming to Free Clinics around the
Country are Working- but have no access to affordable
Quality Care, ANY care at all, or Insurance.
( Medical,Dental and
Vision and Mental health).

Here are the Stats:
50 Million UnInsured, Millions more UnderInsured.( the US Census of 2006 results has 47 Million, but over 6 Million have lost their job since then.)

17,000 Losing Healthcare everyday, that is >500,000 /month( >6 Million this year).

70% of Bankruptcies are due to Medical Debt- that means that many are losing their homes and business due to Illness.

47,000 /yr Die without Health care or Insurance.

500,000 are currently fighting cancer without adequate Healthcare, Cancelled by their insurance.

8 Million Children are UnInsured and without Healthcare.

People every day are dying without healthcare, one every 12 minutes....
Stats: Harvard Studies,Kaiser Family Studies,US Census.
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I just wanted you to have the bigger picture-
NONE of us is Irresponsible....
BUT the system is Broken...and literally
killing Americans everyday..

thanks for listening..
allie RN

just a nurse...
(btw I have lived and worked all over the country-
this is the situation Nationwide...)

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Other Stories

Really moving stories indeed

1. 60 minutes: Remote Area Medical (CBS News Video) | "Texas and Ohio have nearly 7 million uninsured residents"

2. Bill Moyers Journal - Wendy Porter - PBS (YouTube) | "Healthcare expedition in virginia...there was bo privacy"

3. The Real Death Panel - The courage campaign (YouTube) | "What he is trying to say is: you are dead!"

4. My Letter to president Barack Obama | "I am uninsurable" http://davidgs.posterous.com/text-only-my-letter-to-president-barack-obama

5. The Real Death Panel | "As a physician, I deny a man the necessary operation that would have saved his life"

6. Dying for affordable healthcare: The uninsured speak (Guardian) | "He fell instantly into a catch 22 that he had earlier seen entrap many of his own patients" Link

7. National Healthcare: A Personal story | "Why did he die?" http://wellspringthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/07/national-health-care-personal-story.html

8. My very personal letter to Obama | "My insurance company routinely denied coverage for medications prescribed by my neurologist." Link

9. Commonsense with Jim Alger | "Think it possible you may be mistaken"

10. GOP Clueless as families struggle with healthcare | "Their dilemma is simple. No one lives, works or raises a family in the Republican propaganda bubble." Link

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Religion: Abortion and Healthcare

Some more human stories

My Baby Would Have Died Under the Stupak Amendment: Link

"I was outraged and felt violated, how a group of individuals dare think they can make life-altering medical decisions for me."

How the Stupak Amendment Radically Undermines Women's Rights: Link

"Not only will this put greater numbers of women in the same bind, it could affect abortion coverage in private plans outside the exchanges, too."

Four Ways the Stupak Amendment Deprives Women of Access to Abortion: Link

"One in three women will have an abortion in their lifetime. "

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