22 Year old Dies Uninsured

Avatar for ddnlj
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Registered: 03-26-2003
22 Year old Dies Uninsured
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Tue, 09-29-2009 - 9:05am
Doctors say now that she died, not from swine flu, but from viral pneumonia, but the cause is less relevant than the fact that she died at all.
Like a large number of young people in this country, this young woman was uninsured. Most young people can't afford private insurance because the jobs they hold don't offer it or don't pay enough. These are kids who haven't yet gotten their first "good" job with benefits. Some are still in college. Some are working p/t while going to school. Some may not, for various reasons, be retained on their parents' health insurance. In any case, most of them rarely earn enough to pay for health insurance so they do without.

Shouldn't there be something in place to protect these young people?


Uninsured 22-Year-Old Boehner Constituent Dies From Swine Flu

hjnyoungkimberly09-_568332bA 22-year-old woman from Oxford, Ohio, died from swine flu on Wednesday. Kimberly Young graduated from Miami University in December and continued to live in Oxford, Ohio, within Minority Leader John Boehner’s congressional distrct. Reports now indicate that after initially getting sick, Young put off treatment because she was uninsured:



Young became ill about two weeks ago, but didn’t seek care initially because she didn’t have health insurance and was worried about the cost, according to Brent Mowery, her friend and former roommate.


On Tuesday, Sept. 22, Young’s condition suddenly worsened and her roommate drove her to McCullough Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford, where she was flown in critical condition to University Hospital in Cincinnati.


“That’s the most tragic part about it. If she had insurance, she would have gone to the doctor,” Mowery said.


According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 30 percent of 19-24 year olds are uninsured, more than any other group. Despite the conservative argument that young people are voluntarily refusing health coverage in favor of extra spending money, the reality is that high costs on the individual market put coverage out of reach. As Suzy Khimm notes at Campus Progress, young people “are far more likely to be working part-time or lower-paying jobs for employers who don’t offer coverage”:



In its 2008 study, the Commonwealth Fund found that 66 percent of young adults aged 19 to 29 who experienced a time without coverage in the past year said they had gone without it because of the cost.


Young people might have a better chance of accessing comprehensive coverage if there were a public plan, which could lower the cost of insurance, particularly for those without good employer benefits. Young people may also have a better chance at coverage if there were generous subsidies for lower-income individuals, as many take lower-paying jobs when they first enter the workforce.


Even though Boehner represents a large university, he has been an outspoken opponent of a public option that would make insurance cheaper and more accessible to recent graduates like Young. On Meet the Press last week, the Minority Leader continued to stick to the obstructionist Frank Luntz-endorsed talking points, dismissing the public option as “big government” while defending a watered-down plan.

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Avatar for rollmops2009
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2009
Thu, 12-03-2009 - 9:25am
I had a friend in college who ended up a destitute widow because of this. Her young dh was diagnosed with cancer, a rare cancer. At some point during his illness, his insurance company decided that the condition must have pre-existed his coverage and cut off his insurance. He had to bankrupt his family in order to get medicaid. Then he died, leaving his wife and young son without a house and without a dime.

~~~~~ o o o ~~~~

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

Oscar Wilde

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2009
Thu, 12-03-2009 - 3:22pm
I have already gone through all savings, I do not own anything.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2006
Thu, 12-03-2009 - 4:52pm

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to chime in and say I live in Britain and our healthcare system for the most part is fantastic. I pay a tax from my wages, and if i am ill and i need to see a doctor i call them in the morning and get an appointment for that day. If its for something that can wait, if I am working during the hours its open, i can arrange an appointment on a monday evening (a number of doctors stay behind on rotation to take appointments till about 9PM). If i need medication it costs £5 (about $7 i think) per prescription, no matter what the medication is. That can be up to 3 months worth of medication. That is gradually getting phased out at the moment until it is free. All contraception is free for women, any kind including implants, pill etc. If i need to get tests of any kind done its free.
If i am seriously ill or in an accident I feel good knowing i will not have to pay anything. I can go to the hospital, be treated, then go home. I saw earlier someone mentioned a man who had to pay for the helicopter, we also don't pay for anything like that. Doctors and nurses are all extremely friendly and as someone said before, they are there to keep me as healthy as possible, not only to treat me if i am sick. And this is for everyone, regardless of income, regardless if they are unemployed or a student.

Don't be scared of a public healthcare system, it has more pros than cons. And yes it does have its cons ( mainly to do with illegal immigrants) and yours will too. But lets face it, whatever system is implemented, it can never be perfect.

I hope that bit of info helped :)

Kelly
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Sat, 12-05-2009 - 8:34am

Thanks for your input. I know your post is factual I'm from Britain & have had

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-25-2006
Thu, 12-10-2009 - 6:41am

you know what really gets me- illness is easily treated when we REST. i think that's the biggest problem today. technically, i have more health problems now than i did back then, but my health is better because i have a flexible job where i can REST when i'm sick. and that's why we have these hideous super-bugs, because everyone is running themselves ragged and over medicating with antibiotics and the like.

what i have treated WITHOUT the doctor:
* flu
* pneumonia
* pink eye
* kidney stones (yes i passed them alone)
* urinary tract infections
* ear infections
* bronchitis

i use natural remedies, but these work best if i take it easy. so it may mean 5 days in bed, but that sure beats a hefty doctors bill- and the side effects caused by most western medicine.

Avatar for ddnlj
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 12-10-2009 - 8:54am
You're extremely lucky because any one of those maladies could have turned destructive and
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Avatar for ddnlj
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 12-10-2009 - 8:57am

I do with more Brits and Canadians would come forward and let Americans know about your healthcare options. We have a very vocal group in the US that does nothing but bad-mouth universal healthcare and tells us that

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2009
Sat, 12-12-2009 - 2:48pm
I agee! Prevention is very important. For those illnesses that can't be prevented and are genetic or just arise, we need a healthcare system that is present and able to meet their needs. There is nothing more important than taking care of people so they can live full and happy lives.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Sun, 12-13-2009 - 11:58am

Welcome to In The News!


Everyone needs access to quality medical care.


iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2009
Sun, 12-13-2009 - 2:06pm

You are right. There is no other way. People should not be turned away just because they don't have insurance.

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