After receiving several heartfelt messages, I want to add to my post from last night.
Although the amount of medical debt we are now carrying keeps me up at night. I know that in time, we'll figure it out. I know that.
What I think about a lot is, why does it have to be this way?
Who decided that paying for chemotherapy, and radiation, and x-rays and transport to a hospital that can actually treat what you need to be treated, should bankrupt you?
I am hopeful that the first heartless bastard who said, "Well, Mrs. Smith, you can't pay the bills for your husband's heart surgery? He died last month and he was the primary income earner? Well I'm afraid we'll have to send you to collections. That of course means that we'll probably begin garnishment procedures." Is burning in hell somewhere.
And my beef isn't with the Doctors, mostly. They have to live every day with the decisions they make and the patients they save or lose. The really great ones have hearts of gold and do what they do because they love it and they're providing a needed service. Dr. Mary Kathleen Lockard is one of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She did everything she could for Isabelle. The look on her face as she explained Izzy's brain bleed to me, and the look on her face when they wheeled Izzy out, is something about that day that sticks with me. She was the first non-family member we called after we made our decision to let her go. She took our phone call at 5:30 that morning, she was at the house, she was at the visitation. I wouldn't dream of using anyone else.
Dr. Troy Eckman. Kind of a tough nut to crack. I often left my appointments feeling like I was just there to listen to him. Spending the few hours with him during Izzy's delivery was a blast. Made me wish he had delivered Maddy and Abbey. Breaks my heart to know that because of Factor X, he couldn't deliver any more Duffys. Wonderful human being. He stopped by to check in while we were at MDH all day that first day. He was at the visitation and really took the time to make sure we knew that he and Jennifer were behind us all the way.
Dr. Michael Tarantino. Our hematologist. He wears the most dapper clothes, that are always wrinkled. Everyone at Children's Hospital says he is a genius. He sat with us while we were processing all the information and tried to hard to explain very complicated things to 2 people whose brains were stuck on ".......no chance at a meaningful life.......no new neurological activity." He spent several hours answering every question we'd had 2 months to think of, and not once mentioned that he had a full waiting room waiting on him.
These and many other fantastic physicians pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in malpractice insurance so they can practice medicine, then they crawl into the trenches and go to work. I am thankful for them.
The blame for this disaster we call a health care system lies with several groups. People who file frivolous lawsuits against healthcare practitioners looking for a payoff so their lazy, worthless asses don't have to go out and find honest work instead of milking the system and living on someone else's dime. Dishonest people, and physicians who commit insurance fraud. They are so prevalent that the insurance companies only defense mechanism is to question everything. Including treatment given to honest law-abiding 21 day old infants. Heartless, greedy insurance executives who have decided that health care should be a profit driven enterprise. Politicians who allow their pockets to be lined by insurance lobbyists so that no one will actually pass any sort of meaningful legislation to address the real health care problems until all insurance lobbyists are kicked out of Washington and replaced with people who are lobbying for our interests.
This is something that affects every single last one of us. Maybe you're lucky, and maybe you won't be faced with a catastrophic event like we have been, but I would be willing to bet my paycheck, that I am not the only person that you know that is dealing with some sort of medical debt.
Although the amount of medical debt we are now carrying keeps me up at night. I know that in time, we'll figure it out. I know that.
What I think about a lot is, why does it have to be this way?
Who decided that paying for chemotherapy, and radiation, and x-rays and transport to a hospital that can actually treat what you need to be treated, should bankrupt you?
I am hopeful that the first heartless bastard who said, "Well, Mrs. Smith, you can't pay the bills for your husband's heart surgery? He died last month and he was the primary income earner? Well I'm afraid we'll have to send you to collections. That of course means that we'll probably begin garnishment procedures." Is burning in hell somewhere.
And my beef isn't with the Doctors, mostly. They have to live every day with the decisions they make and the patients they save or lose. The really great ones have hearts of gold and do what they do because they love it and they're providing a needed service. Dr. Mary Kathleen Lockard is one of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She did everything she could for Isabelle. The look on her face as she explained Izzy's brain bleed to me, and the look on her face when they wheeled Izzy out, is something about that day that sticks with me. She was the first non-family member we called after we made our decision to let her go. She took our phone call at 5:30 that morning, she was at the house, she was at the visitation. I wouldn't dream of using anyone else.
Dr. Troy Eckman. Kind of a tough nut to crack. I often left my appointments feeling like I was just there to listen to him. Spending the few hours with him during Izzy's delivery was a blast. Made me wish he had delivered Maddy and Abbey. Breaks my heart to know that because of Factor X, he couldn't deliver any more Duffys. Wonderful human being. He stopped by to check in while we were at MDH all day that first day. He was at the visitation and really took the time to make sure we knew that he and Jennifer were behind us all the way.
Dr. Michael Tarantino. Our hematologist. He wears the most dapper clothes, that are always wrinkled. Everyone at Children's Hospital says he is a genius. He sat with us while we were processing all the information and tried to hard to explain very complicated things to 2 people whose brains were stuck on ".......no chance at a meaningful life.......no new neurological activity." He spent several hours answering every question we'd had 2 months to think of, and not once mentioned that he had a full waiting room waiting on him.
These and many other fantastic physicians pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in malpractice insurance so they can practice medicine, then they crawl into the trenches and go to work. I am thankful for them.
The blame for this disaster we call a health care system lies with several groups. People who file frivolous lawsuits against healthcare practitioners looking for a payoff so their lazy, worthless asses don't have to go out and find honest work instead of milking the system and living on someone else's dime. Dishonest people, and physicians who commit insurance fraud. They are so prevalent that the insurance companies only defense mechanism is to question everything. Including treatment given to honest law-abiding 21 day old infants. Heartless, greedy insurance executives who have decided that health care should be a profit driven enterprise. Politicians who allow their pockets to be lined by insurance lobbyists so that no one will actually pass any sort of meaningful legislation to address the real health care problems until all insurance lobbyists are kicked out of Washington and replaced with people who are lobbying for our interests.
This is something that affects every single last one of us. Maybe you're lucky, and maybe you won't be faced with a catastrophic event like we have been, but I would be willing to bet my paycheck, that I am not the only person that you know that is dealing with some sort of medical debt.
Niki,
ReplyDeleteI wish I didn't know how terrible it is to have medical debt, and Taylor is one that has always had something wrong or some medical procedure done. This has left us in a financial bind ever since she was born, but something I am willing to deal with just to know my little girl is here with me. I feel sooooooo much for you all. I cant imagine being in your shoes and knowing that the only place you can spend time with your child is at a cemetery, and then being reminded everytime a bill comes in the mail that she is gone. I truely hope and pray everyday for you all. My situation could never compare to what you have gone through, but know I support you all and am behind you all 100%. Anytime you need someone to talk to, I am here. I know we are not as close as your other friends, but know I consider myself lucky to call you my friend. Love you!
Kerri