Until Medical Bills Do Us Part

[tinrobot]

Amazing Kristof Op-Ed that illustrates very clearly the need for health care reform...

----

My friend M. — you’ll understand in a moment why she’s terrified of my using her name — had to make a searing decision a year ago. She was married to a sweet, gentle man whom she loved, but who had become increasingly absent-minded. Finally, he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia.

The disease is degenerative, and he will become steadily less able to care for himself. At some point, as his medical needs multiply, he will probably need to be institutionalized.

The hospital arranged a conference call with a social worker, who outlined how the dementia and its financial toll on the family would progress, and then added, out of the blue: “Maybe you should divorce.”

“I was blown away,” M. told me. But, she said, the hospital staff members explained that they had seen it all before, many times. If M.’s husband required long-term care, the costs would be catastrophic even for a middle-class family with savings.

more : http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/opinion/30kristof.html

----

So, the family-values, marriage-defending GOP promotes this health care system? A system that practically forces couples to divorce because of health care costs? What would their evangelical base say about that?

[Cassandra]

1. Their evangelical base would say...

not my problem!

You were expecting something humane, maybe?

[Orsino]

2. The Right's anti-family agenda...

...is simply harder to hide these days.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. So with a divorce, the gov picks up the tab?

[stray cat]

4. Sad to say but probably a wise move - otherwise they go broke first

and then the government picks up the tap.

[tinrobot]

5. Had a friend in a similar situation.

She's middle aged, got a chronic lung disorder, is on a respirator and may need a transplant.

In order to qualify for state assistance, she had to divorce her husband and claim poverty. If she showed any income, she'd have to pay for her medical care out of pocket and would never be able to afford it.

Sad that our system promotes divorce and poverty over health.

[joeycola]

6. So, which of the proposals says this will NOT happen with 'reform" Just

curious. I have not seen the topic come up--but admit I may have missed it.