This happened in America?

[MzDiz]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/12/14/151930/63

I just read this story, so forgive me if you've seen it. I'm sickened. I'm sorry it's a little depressing, but I think it's something that people should know about.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I'm probably going to regret getting into this one...but, the story damns "Right wing nuts" for this. Well, I'm sure there are lots of hospitals in lots of states that won't go that extra mile if you don't have insurance. So I'm sure it's not just a republican thing.

 

[MzDiz]

Yeah, the story is from a leftist stance. I seriously hope this thread doesn't degrade into a partisan slapping match though. That would do that poor woman no good at all.

 

[laura001]

Oh My! How terribly awful! There are not any words to describe this act!

 

[discernment]

Dailykos=another liberal Bush hating site run by people still bitter about the election. I bet they still believe that Dan Rather is a credible source.

 

[cardaway]

THIS is the true face of "compassionate conservatism" and of the phony "culture of life". They don't give a rat's ***, as long as the insurance will pay the bill. No insurance? Good-bye, you die.

 

[Charade]

That's sad story but I had a hard time getting past the typical "DailyKOS" points. Do you think ALL Republicans AGREE with that law? Do you think ALL Democrats DISAGREE with that law? The answer is NO but that doesn't stop the left from making stereotypical/unfair characterizations of Republicans.

Interesting that the DailyKOS rant didn't quote relevant (IMO) parts of the story (but they were kind enough to provide a link) such as...

The hospital declined an on-camera interview, but in a statement said they "contacted 12 facilities including hospitals, long term acute care facilities and nursing homes, all of whom declined to accept the patient.”

But a Dallas attorney who worked on the law said money has nothing to do with it and only clinical matters are considered.

Dr. Allan Shulkin, who specializes in pulmonary and critical care medicine at another Dallas hospital, supports the law.

"Sometimes applying technology when there is no other opportunity for recovery is wrong not because it’s expensive, but because it prolong suffering," he said.

A hospital spokesperson the facility offered to hire an immigration attorney free of charge to help bring the woman's mother from East Africa.

Relatives, however, said the East African process was too lengthy.

The bottom line is WHO ultimately gets to decide when care should end when funds are exhausted? Should hospitals be forced by law to provide life support for terminal patients until they pass?

 

[Olaf]

Yeah, the story is from a leftist stance. I seriously hope this thread doesn't degrade into a partisan slapping match though. That would do that poor woman no good at all.

A leftist stance from the Kool aid drinkers at DailyKos?!!!! Imagine that.

Here's a slightly different slant from Slate

Slate

 

[momof2inPA]

George Bush will meet his judgement. The Republicans are trying to make health savings accounts the norm, meaning only the wealthy and the healthy will be able to afford health care and insurance, so what happened to this lady could happen to anyone with a run of bad luck and a terminal illness, well, anyone unlucky enough to live in Texas. You shouldn't have to be rich to be treated compassionately. God bless that poor woman who just wanted her mother by her side and struggled to breath for 15 minutes.

 

[Charade]

George Bush will meet his judgement. The Republicans are trying to make health savings accounts the norm, meaning only the wealthy and the healthy will be able to afford health care and insurance, so what happened to this lady could happen to anyone with a run of bad luck and a terminal illness, well, anyone unlucky enough to live in Texas. You shouldn't have to be rich to be treated compassionately. God bless that poor woman who just wanted her mother by her side and struggled to breath for 15 minutes.

Define "compassionately".

Did you even read the linked article or the parts I quoted? If you did, didn't that make any difference?

 

[CathrynRose]

Dailykos=another liberal Bush hating site run by people still bitter about the election. I bet they still believe that Dan Rather is a credible source.

It borders on propaganda.

 

[momof2inPA]

Here's a slightly different slant from Slate

That article suggests that poor people should have to choose between groceries/milk and health care/life support. It shouldn't be a choice. In the USA, the "greatest country in the world", all citizens have a right to food and health care. You shouldn't have to be one of the few rich people who can independently afford Blue Cross for a lifetime to be given air until your body gives out. Suffocating is a horrible way to die.

Could you afford 18k a year for your own family health care? That's what my BIL pays, out of pocket, as a self-employed person. That's what the Republicans want us all to pay- out of pocket, not by our employer.

 

[momof2inPA]

Define "compassionately".

Did you even read the linked article or the parts I quoted? If you did, didn't that make any difference?

I read both articles. They let that lady suffocate to save money because she couldn't afford health insurance. Did you read the articles?

 

[DVC Jen]

There is absolutely no excuse for that. In my eyes that is murder. And just for the record.. it was mentioned on the news here, but not much.

 

[Olaf]

A little off topic, but here's an interesting article from the Christian Science Monitor.

Article

How it pertains to this thread is the finding that "86 percent said they had no unmet need for a doctor."

Somehow we all just manage to muddle along here in horrible, capitalistic, uninsured America.

 

[momof2inPA]

How it pertains to this thread is the finding that "86 percent said they had no unmet need for a doctor."

So, it's ok for 14% of Americans to have unmet medical needs? Let's ask the lady in the article if it was ok with her. Oh wait, she's DEAD.

Just because you, personally, are sheltered from the realities of poverty and the uninsured doesn't mean they don't exist. The number of uninsured in this country are rising at an alarming rate. Are we going to let them all suffocate when they have cancer or copd (which is also uncurable and expensive), or just the poor ones?

 

[CapeCodTenor]

...all citizens have a right to food and health care.

I agree with you that no one in this great country should go hungry or even without healthcare, but can you point out where in the constitution where it says we have a right to healthcare? If there is indeed a right for healthcare and I missed it, then I want back pay for all the healthcare I paid out of pocket.

 

[RobinMarie]

Dailykos=another liberal Bush hating site run by people still bitter about the election.

Pay attention - it's not just liberals displeased with Bush.

 

[momof2inPA]

I agree with you that no one in this great country should go hungry or even without healthcare, but can you point out where in the constitution where it says we have a right to healthcare? If this is indeed a right for healthcare and I missed it, then I want back pay for all the healthcare I paid out of pocket.

How about, "LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?" GW and the Texas legislature took this woman's LIFE when they denied her the ventilator because she was poor.

Why do Republicans want to deny people health insurance? I don't get it. Texas has the highest percentage of un-insured children in the U.S. It seems that many of you think this is ok, acceptable, and they're doing a fine job.

They killed the lady in the article. I can't believe any right-to-lifer or Catholic would support that.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

"Life" yes, but does it say that he government should pay for it - Nope.