Just thought I'd share this with you guys. This is something my friend posted. I've had similar experiences, but nothing like his.
Background: He was driving home from DJing at Penn's Landing 27 years ago on I95. He stopped to assist another driver who had been in an accident. While doing so he was struck by a hit and run driver who was never apprehended and lost his leg. He now owns a popular entertainment company in Philly.
The Sad State of Healthcare in America Dear Facebook friends and internet at large,
It is with heavy heart that I write this...
For those of you who may not know, I am a left leg amputee, and have been for the past twenty-seven years. At that time, healthcare – specifically Blue Cross – covered 100% of the cost of my prosthetic leg. Over time, not only has the cost of such prosthesis gone up, the percent of coverage offered by health insurance companies has gone down. First by 20%, and now, 50%. Today, an entire prosthetic leg can cost in upwards of $22,000.00.
A month ago, my prosthetic knee “wore out” and needed replacing in order for me to be able to walk. Thankfully it was just a knee, the cost of which was just over $4,000.00 out of pocket.
As this was transpiring, I had a conversation with a friend who works in fundraising, who asked me to take a look at their information to see if I might be eligible for assistance. I agreed. Once I received it, and understood that I would be literally getting charity, and that it required fundraising on my behalf, I knew right away it wasn’t for me. Three reasons really, the first and foremost being that I have the money, and until the day I do not, I will pay my own way.
The second reason is a bit more complicated, and by far more personal. Besides having a handicapped license plate – something I only gave in to about ten years ago – I do not consider myself handicapped. Or at least I try not to. I work. For how long I don’t know but ever since I became an amputee I pride myself in knowing that I have never collected a penny in government assistance. No workman’s comp, no disability, no nothing. This I do for me, not for bragging rights. Mere selfish pride.
But beware… Pride is one of the deadly sins.
All through the process, it seemed like everyone was advising me to “take the money and run”. Everyone from friends, to co-workers, and even the folks working at the prosthetic place pushed for me to accept financial help. So much so that it became confusing. In the end, I stayed my course.
This brings me to the third reason. Yes, I had the money, yet I could not stop thinking of the tens of thousands, perhaps more who do not. This weighed heavy on my mind and still does as I write this. Those folks have pride too, and I’d bet that many of them are too proud to ask for the help that they greatly need. While taking the money was never really even a consideration for me, I was left feeling empty and sad that there are so many in need who have no help, and her I was with no need and countless offers for help.
This experience was a crash course for me in how broken our healthcare system is. A crash course I am unlucky enough to have reinforced every six to seven years. No American should go without healthcare. The organization that offered to help me is called Help Hope Live, and they give away millions upon millions of dollars every year to folks who need it. Frankly, I find that disgusting… Not that they help people with so much money, but that so much money is needed just for people to have the healthcare they need. Organizations like this should not have to exist, but they do have to exist because our system is so broken.
Members of the U.S. Congress (Senate and House) get free healthcare, no co-pays, paid for by our tax dollars. Remember that. No American should go without the healthcare they need. No American should have to ask for charity because they cannot afford a procedure, or operation, or medicine. None of it. Pride and healthcare are both luxuries I can afford, yet one so many cannot.
The folks at the Prosthetic and Orthotic(sp) place I go to have my leg repaired regaled me with stories of folks who must go without because they are employed yet cannot afford healthcare and/or co-pays, while those on unemployment get a free ride. When it comes to healthcare – your own and that of the ones we love – we should all get a free ride. No one should have to sacrifice their pride or dignity, healthcare should be an inalienable right of all Americans.
As if illness is not scary enough, the price tag of being ill should not be.
Thank you for reading. Feel free to share.
Background: He was driving home from DJing at Penn's Landing 27 years ago on I95. He stopped to assist another driver who had been in an accident. While doing so he was struck by a hit and run driver who was never apprehended and lost his leg. He now owns a popular entertainment company in Philly.
The Sad State of Healthcare in America Dear Facebook friends and internet at large,
It is with heavy heart that I write this...
For those of you who may not know, I am a left leg amputee, and have been for the past twenty-seven years. At that time, healthcare – specifically Blue Cross – covered 100% of the cost of my prosthetic leg. Over time, not only has the cost of such prosthesis gone up, the percent of coverage offered by health insurance companies has gone down. First by 20%, and now, 50%. Today, an entire prosthetic leg can cost in upwards of $22,000.00.
A month ago, my prosthetic knee “wore out” and needed replacing in order for me to be able to walk. Thankfully it was just a knee, the cost of which was just over $4,000.00 out of pocket.
As this was transpiring, I had a conversation with a friend who works in fundraising, who asked me to take a look at their information to see if I might be eligible for assistance. I agreed. Once I received it, and understood that I would be literally getting charity, and that it required fundraising on my behalf, I knew right away it wasn’t for me. Three reasons really, the first and foremost being that I have the money, and until the day I do not, I will pay my own way.
The second reason is a bit more complicated, and by far more personal. Besides having a handicapped license plate – something I only gave in to about ten years ago – I do not consider myself handicapped. Or at least I try not to. I work. For how long I don’t know but ever since I became an amputee I pride myself in knowing that I have never collected a penny in government assistance. No workman’s comp, no disability, no nothing. This I do for me, not for bragging rights. Mere selfish pride.
But beware… Pride is one of the deadly sins.
All through the process, it seemed like everyone was advising me to “take the money and run”. Everyone from friends, to co-workers, and even the folks working at the prosthetic place pushed for me to accept financial help. So much so that it became confusing. In the end, I stayed my course.
This brings me to the third reason. Yes, I had the money, yet I could not stop thinking of the tens of thousands, perhaps more who do not. This weighed heavy on my mind and still does as I write this. Those folks have pride too, and I’d bet that many of them are too proud to ask for the help that they greatly need. While taking the money was never really even a consideration for me, I was left feeling empty and sad that there are so many in need who have no help, and her I was with no need and countless offers for help.
This experience was a crash course for me in how broken our healthcare system is. A crash course I am unlucky enough to have reinforced every six to seven years. No American should go without healthcare. The organization that offered to help me is called Help Hope Live, and they give away millions upon millions of dollars every year to folks who need it. Frankly, I find that disgusting… Not that they help people with so much money, but that so much money is needed just for people to have the healthcare they need. Organizations like this should not have to exist, but they do have to exist because our system is so broken.
Members of the U.S. Congress (Senate and House) get free healthcare, no co-pays, paid for by our tax dollars. Remember that. No American should go without the healthcare they need. No American should have to ask for charity because they cannot afford a procedure, or operation, or medicine. None of it. Pride and healthcare are both luxuries I can afford, yet one so many cannot.
The folks at the Prosthetic and Orthotic(sp) place I go to have my leg repaired regaled me with stories of folks who must go without because they are employed yet cannot afford healthcare and/or co-pays, while those on unemployment get a free ride. When it comes to healthcare – your own and that of the ones we love – we should all get a free ride. No one should have to sacrifice their pride or dignity, healthcare should be an inalienable right of all Americans.
As if illness is not scary enough, the price tag of being ill should not be.
Thank you for reading. Feel free to share.
