A strange accident happened in Council Bluffs last week. While Jeremy Clingenpeel and his son were practicing with bows and arrows for the upcoming bowhunting season, an unfortunate accident happened in which the father, Jeremy, was left with an arrow in his chest but alive. You can read about it here.
What struck me as I read this story is that here is another example of a family facing a financial crisis due to this country’s backward health insurance and healthcare policies. If we had universal healthcare like most first world nations, I would not have read these following paragraphs: (from same article)
Now the family worries about a long road to recovery, especially since Tracy, a former nurse, was diagnosed with a debilitating neurological condition just last year. Finances and care are now a concern of the family.
Jeremy worked full time in waste management. He also took his wife to her weekly doctor’s appointments. She told 6 News that he even helped with daily chores like bathing and showering.
“The big question becomes, ‘Can I get my medicine? Can I get the care I need? Will he be able to get the care he needs?’ ” She said.
Tracy Clingenpeel said they are spending thousands of dollars on their medicine and will now add her husband’s medical bills.
The article does not say whether the family has health insurance. It is mentioned that Jeremy’s wife suffers from a debilitating neurological condition. As if his accident and her illness weren’t enough to worry about, thanks to our insane healthcare system, finances and care become yet another building block in an overwhelming burden.
And it doesn’t have to be that way. We must elect men and women to office that will put an end to this madness. It’s about time America joined the civilized world and built a health care system where families with health crises don’t have to watch their world unravel for financial reasons.
Let me remind you that America pays nearly double per capita for its crappy healthcare system that leaves a huge swath of people uncovered. It’s a crazy system. No one can defend the current system, but the far-right wing maintains it through lies and parliamentary procedures.
Don’t forget that one of the parts of our disjointed health care system that almost works — real Medicare — is under attack from the far right, who want to subject Medicare to congressional reapproval from time to time. Rick Scott — chairman of the Republican Senate Election Committee — says every five years. With the current configuration in Congress, Medicare would never be allowed again.
Even if our miserable healthcare system isn’t one of the top themes of this year’s campaign, it should be in the back of your mind.
Think of how devastated your family could be by an accident or unexpected illness. Then vote for those who build a system to fix the system.
The far right will never implement universal health care. Vote for the Democrats.
