GOP Rep. Tells Uninsured Man Things Worked Out Well, Despite Bankruptcy

[Purveyor]

Source: HULIQ



Released in June, a national study by the American Journal of Medicine (.PDF) showed that 62% of bankruptcies in 2007 were tied to medical expenses. That's what a constituent told Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) at a recent town hall, but despite his bankruptcy, Kingston told the man he did "very well."

Eh? The elderly man, Jim Parker, told Kingston that he was recently treated for colon cancer, but did not have insurance. Kingston replied by telling Parker “you did do very well” because he was able to get treated when he arrived at the hospital. Parker responded, “I am functionally bankrupt!” Kingston cut him off and said:

But you did get coverage. You didn’t get the insurance, but they won’t turn you down at the door. And we do need to focus on people like you. However, here’s the problem: among other things, in countries that have socialized medicine, you have longer waiting lines, you have bureaucracy ... it does lead to rationing.

In reality, Parker didn't get COVERAGE. He got treatment. Big difference. Two things, in addition, however: we already have rationing; the insurance companies ration health care by denying claims. As many as 20,000 people die because of lack of insurance annually, according to studies.

Additionally, while people like George W. Bush speak of America's health care saying (in 2007): "The immediate goal is to make sure there are more people on private insurance plans. I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room," that is utter claptrap. After all, one of the talking points against Universal Health Care is "the wait;" has anyone looked an an ER waiting room?

Read more: http://www.huliq.com/3257/85957/gop-rep-tells-uninsured-man-things-worked-out-well-despite-bankruptcy

[47of74]

1. Ladies and gentlemen, we have Kingston's Barbara Bush moment

Ladies and gentlemen, we have Kingston's Barbara Bush moment, "So many of the people here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."

[fascisthunter]

2. who pays for the bills when folks claim bankruptcy?

maybe this GOP loser can explain to his constituents why this is a good thing. This is exactly why we on the left try to set up policies to prevent this shit from happening, and wouldn't ya know it, these intellectually, morally bankrupt shill work against them all.

The right wings answer is further costing tax payers more money, and while they do so, they destroy lives just for the rich. Disgusting...

[Grinchie]

19. Paying the bills is secondary.

Bankruptcy is designed to transfer wealth. I mean real wealth, like Real Property.

If you have a property that they want, Bankruptcy is just an excuse to liquidate it, along with anything else that you have built up over the years that has some value to them. I experienced chapter 7 bankruptcy first hand, and it was soley due to the Enron Energy Crisis in California, knocking the last legs out from under the survivors of the DotCon bubble. The reality of Insolvency is that the Debtors line up to scavenge on the insolvent corpse.

Never mind that even though one is insolvent, they produce healthy food for thousands of people, which is exactly what kept me afloat for 1.5 years as my saving dwindled.

Nah, they saw McMansions as the highest and best use for my farm, and so they sold it off to the highest bidder. Over five hundred producing fruit tree's are now nothing more that withering ornament more suitable for a rockwell painting, dying, unirrigated in the hot summer sun, fruit shriveled and diseased due to lack of a little water by the new owners that value their 2 story McMansion.

It is very sad.

One could say it turned out well for me. The bankruptcy paid off all my debt, and gave me a good pile of cash to start anew, which was immediately spent in it's entirety for another tract of land, debt free, unencumbered and immune from the fickle breeze of the Fraudulent American Economy.

The third of a fleet of at least 7, 3 billion dollar a piece Fast Nuclear Attack Submarines arrived in Hawaii recently. Several months ago, a B-2 Bomber crashed on the Airfield in Guam, a few months ago, a billion dollar Missile Frigate ran aground off Honolulu Airports, and took weeks to refloat. It was immediately drydocked and repaired at millions of dollars of expense.

Well guess what, all that useless hardware is paid for with the same money they pay for uninsured Emergency Room cases. It's phony money, and the double standard is fucking insane.

This is why they hate people that don't have Capital or Property. Debt is the key to the transfer of wealth, and they've written many laws to support this.

[fascisthunter]

20. thanks for that... it truly is a bad system that divides us more

rathert han unifying us. This predatory system is much more of a detriment to this country than a successful business model which only benefits a very small minority.

[Soylent Brice]

3. FUCT.

K&R

[kestrel91316]

4. A single ER visit sans insurance would bankrupt a significant percentage of people.

When you don't have coverage, the bills are many times more than they are for insurance companies. And they will sue to get their money, or at the least destroy your credit.

[imdjh]

7. It would bankrupt me, especially considering how much it would take for me to go to the ER.

People who are dirt poor or already ruined supposedly (probably not) go to the ER for the sniffles, but people like me who still have a little to hold on to are reluctant to go even with coverage. Imagine how bad off I would have to be to go to the ER knowing that the entire bill would fall in my lap, followed by liens, attachments, or whatever.

I have been in my bed, in severe pain, watching the clock and figuring if I make it to morning then I can call my doctor instead of going to the ER. I have lain in bed with the phone in my hand, having a conversation with myself whether it was time to call the EMT. All because I have no idea whether it will cost me $500 or $10,000 to make that call.

[Arkansas Granny]

It's not just the wait at the emergency room, either. A co-worker was

experiencing severe back pain and was barely able to walk. His doctor was unable to do anything but prescribe pain pills and wanted him to see a specialist. The specialist he recommended was booked up and couldn't see him for six weeks. Fortunately, he found another doctor who was able to see him sooner.

[Warpy]

5. He's alive but he's LOST EVERYTHING ELSE!

Good gawd, does this idiot Republican not understand what bankruptcy does to people, especially older folks who are in no position to wait ten years and start all over again?

Kingston's ignorance and cruelty are appalling.

[zogofzorkon]

8. I'm sure they understand quite well.

It is just another way to grab what they can any way they can.

[LynnTheDem]

6. "socialized" healthcare does NOT creaate "rationing", does NOT create "longer waiting lines"

...and as for "bureaucracy"... I walk in, I get treated, I walk out.

No bills.

No bankruptcy.

The only "bureaucracy" to deal with is showing the receptionist my medical card.





Hang in there, Americans; some day you too will have healthcare for ALL.

It's a basic human right.

[Wizard777]

9. If the GOP get their way.The next time he gets sick. The hospital will own his home and his soul.

So yeah things worked out well for the gentleman. But the Republicans are working hard to fix that.

[seemunkee]

10. You can't get proper treatment for colon cancer in the ER

[Tracer]

11. Elderly? Why isn't he on Medicare?

Unless, of course, he's only 50. The media tends to call anyone over that age "elderly".

[go west young man]

12. I live in Kingston's district and I have a friend who's appendix

ruptured at work recently. The ambulance was called but she waited from 7pm till midnight once she reached the emergency room. Do you know why? Because crime is so bad in Brunswick, Georgia that they had three other codes that took priority over her medical condition. 5 hours. Kingston's support of Bush and the last 8 years of police underfunding and a piss poor economy are the reasons crime is so bad. Hence my friends wait. So once again jacks talking out his ass. The friend had her appendix removed and has no insurance. She's 23, a waitress and has no money. She does however have a new $13,000 hospital debt.

[Overseas]

13. I hope there is footage of the discussion for the next election.

Let the people in his district see what kind of compassionate conservative Kingston really is.

And what a liar.

[angstlessk]

14. and NOW that he has no assets to be confiscated, if he needs further treatment

he is SCREWEN!

[depakid]

15. They'll take him under EMTALA when he collapses

[Critters2]

16. I'm amazed at how many people believe that this system works,

because everyone can be treated in an emergency room. Don't they know people then need to PAY FOR THAT TREATMENT?!!!

[Purveyor]

17. If everyone gets treated, why is it that almost weekly I see an announcement for a fundraiser

to help some cancer pay for the treatment that is required to keep them alive.

Like hell 'everyone gets treated'...

[Critters2]

18. The law says everyone must be treated until stabilized in an ER. People

misunderstand that to mean they get treated for free. I hear this from people all the time.

So, yes, everyone gets treated. Not necessarily cured. And not for free.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

21. What is functionally bankrupt?

[nightgaunt]

22. What do you do when they close the ER?

This is one of many reasons why we have such expensive but poor health care. We are short on doctors and nurses, plus all the overhead and needlessly complex paper work all add up. We are the only first world country that allows its members to go bankrupt for medical care. It works for the gov't because it works for the insurance companies. Obama could fix part of it but at gun point and without any way to pay for it. What good is it to force those who cannot afford insurance to get it but not have a way to pay for it? With a threat of further penalty for not being able to purchase it? About all the public option would do, for 5%, would be to pay for you. But there are more than 5% who couldn't afford it. And this isn't full coverage anyway as people find out all the time. The ones who previously were "happy" with their coverage till they found it was insufficient. Oops! What are they to do as they have a medical emergency? Head for the nearest emergency room and hope they aren't crowded with all of those who go as a last resort. I had to as well when I had my emergency.

Thanx Obama for not much no matter how you have your fascist hoodoo worked out. You will condemn us with your Capitalist ways.