Medicare at 55: Not Good Enough
source: http://mobilizeforhealthcare.org/2009/12/10/nine-arrested-at-sit-in-targeting-sen-schumer-de...
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- JonRaymond
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Nine were arrested at a sit-in at Sen. Schumer’s office in mid-town Manhattan Thursday morning.
“We need to spread out the risk pool and take out the profit motive of private health insurance. That’s the only way to cover everyone and control costs,” says Laurie Wen, an organizer at Healthcare-NOW!, which organized the action.
Those arrested include patients who have experienced abuse from private health insurance companies as well as a doctor, a nurse, and a medical student.
Bev Rice, a retired nurse who was arrested, says “Throughout my career I’ve seen so many people suffer and die prematurely because insurance companies denied the care they needed. I have Medicare and it works. Making Medicare available to people from age 55 on is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough. It should be open to everyone.”
“I want a publicly funded healthcare system because my life should not be in the hands of insurance CEOs who profit from denying me care,” says Kate Barnhart, whose doctor ordered a brain scan for a tumor in early September, but the procedure’s approval has been repeatedly delayed by her insurance company. Barnhart was one of 17 people arrested at a September sit-in protesting against an insurance company’s frequent and sometimes deadly practice of denying care. “I had been paying $900 a month for my premium,” she says. “Last week, my insurance company terminated my policy. Does my senator think this is OK?”
Congress seems to lead us down the garden path, pull the rug out, and then give us crumbs of reform as a consolation. It doesn't wash.
http://mobilizeforhealthcare.org/2009/12/10/nine-arrested-at-sit-in-targeting-se...
“We need to spread out the risk pool and take out the profit motive of private health insurance. That’s the only way to cover everyone and control costs,” says Laurie Wen, an organizer at Healthcare-NOW!, which organized the action.
Those arrested include patients who have experienced abuse from private health insurance companies as well as a doctor, a nurse, and a medical student.
Bev Rice, a retired nurse who was arrested, says “Throughout my career I’ve seen so many people suffer and die prematurely because insurance companies denied the care they needed. I have Medicare and it works. Making Medicare available to people from age 55 on is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough. It should be open to everyone.”
“I want a publicly funded healthcare system because my life should not be in the hands of insurance CEOs who profit from denying me care,” says Kate Barnhart, whose doctor ordered a brain scan for a tumor in early September, but the procedure’s approval has been repeatedly delayed by her insurance company. Barnhart was one of 17 people arrested at a September sit-in protesting against an insurance company’s frequent and sometimes deadly practice of denying care. “I had been paying $900 a month for my premium,” she says. “Last week, my insurance company terminated my policy. Does my senator think this is OK?”
Congress seems to lead us down the garden path, pull the rug out, and then give us crumbs of reform as a consolation. It doesn't wash.
http://mobilizeforhealthcare.org/2009/12/10/nine-arrested-at-sit-in-targeting-se...
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- tags:
- Healthcare, Protests, Health Care Reform, Arrests, 3 more
