Caleb Medley was shot in the eye in the Aurora movie theater shooting and remains in the intensive care unit in an induced coma. Medley sustained the terrible injuries only days before his wife Katie was due to give birth to a baby boy they plan to name Hugo. She now joins him in the same hospital — just one floor away — where she was set to be induced.
But even if Caleb makes a full recovery and meets his son, what happened late Friday evening at the movie theater could ruin the young family’s finances. Caleb doesn’t have health insurance, and his medical bills could amount to $2 million, according to his family.
Longtime friend Michael West has created a websiteto raise money for Caleb, who has been an aspiring stand-up comedian since the eighth grade. “He needs to get better because he needs to be a dad,” West said.
This man went to a movie, and now he is facing medical bills that will likely bankrupt him and his family. He did nothing wrong, yet the goddamn Tea Party and goddamn Mitt Romney and goddamn Ron Paul will tell him, his wife, and their unborn child that they are on their own because of reasons.
We need single-payer healthcare in America, and we have to do something as a nation about all the goddamn guns.
As great as this is, I’m once again reminded of the sad truth that Jon Stewart — a comedian — is doing the media’s job better than the media itself.
(via wakepies)
And a whole load of Republicans are threatening to move to Canada in light of this?
Should- should somebody tell them?
No, no, no. Let’s let it be a surprise.
(via fightclubbing)
What’s at Stake for Women as Supreme Court Weighs Health Reform?
“The Court could reject all of the law, uphold it, or just toss parts. If it invalidates the requirement that nearly all Americans carry insurance, the key issue in the Supreme Court case, the Obama administration and opponents have asked the Court to cancel related provisions that require insurers to offer coverage to all who apply and to not vary premiums based on gender or health.
If the Court throws out those provisions, “then we’re back to a situation where not everyone can get coverage, and insurers can charge whatever they want in the individual market, as they do now,” Waxman said.”
And that is the main reason that requiring all Americans to be insured (while offering a cheaper public option and a number of provisions to help out the underinsured) is important for driving down costs and increasing fairness in the absurd and convoluted health insurance system. At least, I assume that’s why Gov. Romney passed it in Massachusetts in 2006.
(via think-progress)
Here are just a few of the things the Koch Brothers and their Tea Party Rubes are trying to get the Supreme Court to take away from Americans, by striking down the Affordable Care Act:
Already in effect:
It allows the Food and Drug Administration to approve more generic drugs (making for more competition in the market to drive down prices)
It increases the rebates on drugs people get through Medicare (so drugs cost less)
It establishes a non-profit group, that the government doesn’t directly control, to study different kinds of treatments to see what works better and is the best use of money.
It makes chain restaurants like McDonalds display how many calories are in all of their foods, so people can have an easier time making choices to eat healthy.
It makes a “high-risk pool” for people with pre-existing conditions. Basically, this is a way to slowly ease into getting rid of “pre-existing conditions” altogether. For now, people who already have health issues that would be considered “pre-existing conditions” can still get insurance, but at different rates than people without them.
It renews some old policies, and calls for the appointment of various positions.
It creates a new 10% tax on indoor tanning booths.
It says that health insurance companies can no longer tell customers that they won’t get any more coverage because they have hit a “lifetime limit”. Basically, if someone has paid for life insurance, that company can’t tell that person that he’s used that insurance too much throughout his life so they won’t cover him any more. They can’t do this for lifetime spending, and they’re limited in how much they can do this for yearly spending.
Kids can continue to be covered by their parents’ health insurance until they’re 26.
No more “pre-existing conditions” for kids under the age of 19.
Insurers have less ability to change the amount customers have to pay for their plans.
People in a “Medicare Gap” get a rebate to make up for the extra money they would otherwise have to spend.
Insurers can’t just drop customers once they get sick.
Insurers have to tell customers what they’re spending money on. (Instead of just “administrative fee”, they have to be more specific).
Insurers need to have an appeals process for when they turn down a claim, so customers have some manner of recourse other than a lawsuit when they’re turned down.
New ways to stop fraud are created.
Medicare extends to smaller hospitals.
Medicare patients with chronic illnesses must be monitored more thoroughly.
Reduces the costs for some companies that handle benefits for the elderly.
A new website is made to give people insurance and health information.
A credit program is made that will make it easier for business to invest in new ways to treat illness.
A limit is placed on just how much of a percentage of the money an insurer makes can be profit, to make sure they’re not price-gouging customers.
A limit is placed on what type of insurance accounts can be used to pay for over-the-counter drugs without a prescription. Basically, your insurer isn’t paying for the Aspirin you bought for that hangover.
Employers need to list the benefits they provided to employees on their tax forms.
“Most Americans oppose President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform even though they strongly support most of its provisions… The survey results suggest that Republicans are convincing voters to reject Obama’s reform even when they like much of what is in it, such as allowing children to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26.” (Source)
It is embarrassing that this kind of issue is being attacked in such a biased, partisan way. The mandate is controversial, but if it is put in place correctly it could help heal our system. Healthcare reform is a good thing, and an area the U.S. is lagging in. Using it as a political battleground is reprehensible.
