From Pine View Farm

Uninsured 3

John Cole at Balloon Juice (emphasis added):

I was talking to a cabbie who I ride with every now and then (some days I don’t take the bus), and remarked that I had not seen him for a while. Apparently he had a mild heart attack over the holidays (he is 61), and was admitted at around midnight on December 21st and released on the 25th. He had a number of procedures, to include having some stents put in, and he just got his bill yesterday:

$65,000.00

I asked him if he had insurance, and he just laughed and said he could never get it, but that is ok, because even if he could, he could not afford it. He’ll never be able to pay the bill, and he has to go back for some more procedures and is heading to the VA to see what can be done.

Our health care system makes no damned sense whatsoever. . . . Something is going to have to give, and quite honestly, I find it amazing that the Republican candidates never even talk about the subject other than to scare people with phrases like “socialized medicine” or “Hillarycare.” The Republican attitude towards health care right now isn’t just stupid, it is grossly irresponsible and negligent.

At any rate, my cab driver friend thanks all you out there with insurance, because believe me, he isn’t paying the bill. You are. And you are a damned fool if you think you aren’t.

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3 comments

  1. Opie

    January 16, 2008 at 8:25 pm

    I don’t see how the Democratic stance is any better than the Republican one.

    Which of the following parties didn’t wait for the government to provide health care, but instead went ahead and started its own health care system outside the government: the Democrats, or Hezbollah?

     
  2. the Plumber

    January 17, 2008 at 2:55 pm

    LOL steve!!!!

     
  3. Opie

    January 17, 2008 at 8:25 pm

    I think I’m going to keep track of what the Democrats spend on their campaign expenses this year and divide it by the cost of insuring one person. I’ll report periodically.