Tuesday, August 4, 2009
“I’ve lost my job and so I’ve lost everything."
Today’s voice mail message: “I’ve lost my job and so I’ve lost everything. I’ve been going to the Free Clinic, but since I just got my unemployment check, I can’t even go there. How am I supposed to pay for a doctor’s visit for my high blood pressure? I need another colonoscopy because I’ve already had polyps taken off of me and my father died from colon cancer.” She needs a referral for a mammogram-when I told her to come in for a visit and office visits at our new clinic are just $20.00, she said “right now, I have $21.00 and I guess I have to hang on to it.”
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2 comments:
These are the kind of experiences that really speak to the disparity and inequality in our society, particularly in regards to class. These experiences which are often silenced and ignored. It is disgusting how much profit the insurance companies rake in off of middle class and lower class workers. They are getting richer and richer and of course our legislators don't have our backs either because they are in bed with the insurance companies!
As I said in our clinic newsletter, I can't write fast enough to tell the stories of what I see every hour. I've had 2 women today who have not had a Pap smear since they lost their jobs- 3 and 6 years ago. Both now working part-time, no insurance. Health care providers themselves are often not aware of how expensive health care- even for the insured. For the uninsured, health care is virtually unobtainable.
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