I notice a lot of these "free health care fairs" that I have seen on TV - whose existence is a sad commentary on the state of health care in our society - have a lot of dental work areas.
The majority of people came to get their teeth fixed. During the first two days of service, RAM dentists have put in 947 fillings. [...] Most of the young recession refugees can’t afford dental or vision plans.
I wonder why! (And it isn't just the young!) Maybe it's because dental work, optometry, and mental health care are treated like luxuries way above and beyond medical insurance. That's an aspect of the health care debate that hasn't been touched on.
You're telling me. The last time I went to the eye doctor, I had to shell out $800. AWESOME.
You know what else I read that was interesting and kinda in that same vein? It was a NY Times article on celiac disease. It's one of those diseases/conditions where things cannot be treated by medication (or, in other cases, are often not ... or, for some reason or another, it isn't possible for some people). I have IBD. Luckily, there are some types of medications and treatments that can help, but it takes some ... trying out of several before something works. The problems here are going to the doctor for the visits and then paying for the prescription...
But, beyond that, what the article touched on, is how much money some people have to spend on their diets in order to help themselves. A lot of gluten-free food (marked as such) is quite more expensive than its with-gluten counterparts.
Yeah. I have celiac disease. Food is really expensive. Like, the cheapest GF bread I've seen anywhere ever was $4. And it really wasn't very good. The tastier GF bread is, I think, $6.50. And both of those are for loaves 1/3 to 1/2 size of a normal loaf of white bread. I know a girl with celiac disease from England, who told me that over there the National Health Service reimburses celiacs for the increased cost of food. And bizarrely, GF food in Spain is both way better and way cheaper, though I don't think that has anything to do with the government or health industries
( ... )
I read about that in the article, too! Lucky British with their NHS. I really wish we had that system over here. :[
You're telling me. If I had had to do my colonoscopy under normal, no-health insurance, I would be in debt by a couple thousand bucks. I was so relieved I could agree to the study and get it done for free. It was the only way they could be 100% sure I didn't have anything like Crohn's, UC, &c. Still, IBS sucks because I'm not often triggered by an exact food or ingredient. If I had celiac, I could avoid the hell out of gluten and wheat, but with IBS? It's hit or miss, and sometimes it depends more on stress and less on what I'm eating.
I was on Xifaxan for three days (non-systemic antibiotic) and Florastor (lower digestive tract yeast; my problems are down there, so acidophilus only does so much for me). I want to get more, at least of the latter, but I'm not sure if I can afford it. I might have to see about getting them online or something. Sigh
( ... )
Jennifer does not look 17. She looks like a trendy twentysomething in chunky glasses, kitten-heel flats, and her hair tied off to the side. She is a senior in high school and her father is a longshoreman at the Long Beach port. While she is getting her teeth cleaned, Jennifer’s boyfriend Lewis comes over with a paper bag in hand. The two arrived at 3 a.m. Friday morning.
Lewis, who stayed awake while Jennifer slept against him on 90th street, had a physical, an optometry test and a filling put into his canine tooth. Inside of Lewis’ paper bag was acne medication. Lewis’s employer, a limo company, does not offer health insurance and he can’t afford it. He and Jennifer met a year ago on Myspace and came to RAM because, according to Lewis, he wants to make sure they “stay healthy so they can stay together for a long time.”
Man, I do not understand how people can hear about this and not realize this country desperately needs health care reform. Do they have no feeling for their fellow man?
There are now agencies created to help people in THIRD WORLD countries treating people in the US because so many people are desperate for health care. That is such a sad commentary about the status of health care in this country.
Yeah that's what surprised me too. Agencies created to help third world set countries or remote areas set up shop in one of the biggest cities in the greatest country in world and so many people flock to it that they have to turn people away. Anyone who says the health care system is working fine needs to get their head checked.
Hopefully they've got one of those luxury mental health policies. -_-
Oh who am I kidding, of course they do. Anyone who says the health care system is working fine is in such a good enough position that they'll never be seeking free health care from traveling volunteers.
Actually I've heard people without ANY coverage -- for themselves, for their children -- rail against "socialized" health care and say that they're intentionally going without coverage, even if Medicare is available to them. I don't know why, some sort of horrible, self-defeating pride, I guess?
Am I the only one who thinks this is fucking ridiculous? I mean, we're supposed to have THE WORLD'S BEST HEALTH CARE SYSTEM EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! And yet so many people turned up that they actually had to turn people away. There was a woman on the news the other day who hadn't seen a doctor in 17 years and was fortunate enough to be admitted. SEVENTEEN FUCKING YEARS.
And from what I heard it wasn't even about whether you had health insurance or not. There were people there with health insurance but simply couldn't afford to pay the fees being asked of them outside.
I mean, we're supposed to have THE WORLD'S BEST HEALTH CARE SYSTEM EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
See, that's what gets me. Because there's people who think that just means that we have excellent doctors and dentists and hospitals and whatnot, and there are people who think that it's not the best health care system in the world if, you know, everybody can't fucking afford to have access to it.
I just read this and am barely holding the tears back.
I don't understand anyone who wants to maintain the status quo. I seriously don't. I'm not capable of understanding that kind of hatred for people who have less than they do. How can anyone look at that, know this is going on in our country, and want to maintain our system?
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The majority of people came to get their teeth fixed. During the first two days of service, RAM dentists have put in 947 fillings. [...] Most of the young recession refugees can’t afford dental or vision plans.
I wonder why! (And it isn't just the young!) Maybe it's because dental work, optometry, and mental health care are treated like luxuries way above and beyond medical insurance. That's an aspect of the health care debate that hasn't been touched on.
Reply
You know what else I read that was interesting and kinda in that same vein? It was a NY Times article on celiac disease. It's one of those diseases/conditions where things cannot be treated by medication (or, in other cases, are often not ... or, for some reason or another, it isn't possible for some people). I have IBD. Luckily, there are some types of medications and treatments that can help, but it takes some ... trying out of several before something works. The problems here are going to the doctor for the visits and then paying for the prescription...
But, beyond that, what the article touched on, is how much money some people have to spend on their diets in order to help themselves. A lot of gluten-free food (marked as such) is quite more expensive than its with-gluten counterparts.
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You're telling me. If I had had to do my colonoscopy under normal, no-health insurance, I would be in debt by a couple thousand bucks. I was so relieved I could agree to the study and get it done for free. It was the only way they could be 100% sure I didn't have anything like Crohn's, UC, &c. Still, IBS sucks because I'm not often triggered by an exact food or ingredient. If I had celiac, I could avoid the hell out of gluten and wheat, but with IBS? It's hit or miss, and sometimes it depends more on stress and less on what I'm eating.
I was on Xifaxan for three days (non-systemic antibiotic) and Florastor (lower digestive tract yeast; my problems are down there, so acidophilus only does so much for me). I want to get more, at least of the latter, but I'm not sure if I can afford it. I might have to see about getting them online or something. Sigh ( ... )
Reply
Lewis, who stayed awake while Jennifer slept against him on 90th street, had a physical, an optometry test and a filling put into his canine tooth. Inside of Lewis’ paper bag was acne medication. Lewis’s employer, a limo company, does not offer health insurance and he can’t afford it. He and Jennifer met a year ago on Myspace and came to RAM because, according to Lewis, he wants to make sure they “stay healthy so they can stay together for a long time.”
How sweet!
This is a great story. :3
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There are now agencies created to help people in THIRD WORLD countries treating people in the US because so many people are desperate for health care. That is such a sad commentary about the status of health care in this country.
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Oh who am I kidding, of course they do. Anyone who says the health care system is working fine is in such a good enough position that they'll never be seeking free health care from traveling volunteers.
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And from what I heard it wasn't even about whether you had health insurance or not. There were people there with health insurance but simply couldn't afford to pay the fees being asked of them outside.
Sigh.
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See, that's what gets me. Because there's people who think that just means that we have excellent doctors and dentists and hospitals and whatnot, and there are people who think that it's not the best health care system in the world if, you know, everybody can't fucking afford to have access to it.
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See why Republicans say we have the best health care in the world? Proof before your eyes!
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I don't understand anyone who wants to maintain the status quo. I seriously don't. I'm not capable of understanding that kind of hatred for people who have less than they do. How can anyone look at that, know this is going on in our country, and want to maintain our system?
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