Faces of Health Care Reform: Lisa Video

Lisa of Lake Worth, FL has hydrocephalus or water on the brain and several other health ailments that require regular monitoring and care. Like millions of Americans, when Lisa lost her job, she also lost her health insurance. Lisa was unable to afford COBRA, but when she called around to inquire about coverage from private insurers she was categorically denied. As soon as I told them about my situation, Lisa says, they said forget it; they absolutely wouldnt even go any further.

Organizing for America has collected hundreds of thousands of personal health care stories. The grassroots effort is building support in communities across the country for a plan that adheres to President Obamas three principles for reform: lowering costs, preserving patient choice and increasing access to quality care.

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mbsells77: Most of us, 85% of Americans have private insurance that does not simply drop people as you would put it. I've had surgeries and my insurance was there for me. The difference is that a public option is simply a tool to sieze 20% of the economy, then to force the people to have to go through a review to recieve treatment. The Canadians are already looking to go back to a private health care since their system is bankrupt- the same will happen here, just like Social Security and Medicare.

mbsells77: You guys do know that in England, people over the age of 65 are capped at $45K worth of treatment. So if you need a bi-pass, cancer treatment, hip replacement, then it is rejected. The same applies for children, if a child needs care over $45K they are also denied. Why? Because the old person no longer contributes and the young person has not contributed. Socialized medicine has failed in every nation that uses it- every single one. Canada is now looking to privatize health care.

mbsells77: You guys have some really screwed up views about how "great" national heatlh care is. I think you've been fed a load of crap from your liberal handlers and haven't really done the research for yourselves. Do this, look up the caps placed on elderly and children in England's health care system. Look up how the Canadian system now wants to privatize because it is bankrupt. Read more about the review panels for care written into the Obamacare plan.

Louis5724: mbsells77 you need to walk in my shoes just for a day. As a physician do you want to know what a large part of my day consists of? Not treating my patients like I should be, but rather arguing with insurance companies to get coverage for tests, or drugs that my patients need. I work in a very small very poor community and I do what I can for my patients, but when the insurance companies say my patient can't have this done or that done...since you're so smart what am I to do?

kmwagner23: google the bill and read through it for a while. It really makes sense and helps everyone out. The only reason I support this bill in congress is because I read it and like what I read, as an uninsured and uninsurable US citizen.

Election2Day08: Right, The people of England will never give up there public health care. I've been there and your dead wrong. Stop watching FOX. Do you think Rupert Murdoch is trying to get Australia on a private system? Ohhh he has more money than God thanks to the ads from all the drug companies.

ladybugg9101: Well Lucky YOU but tell that to the hundreds of thousands of people who were dropped or who were denied care. People tend to live in a "ME & MIne" state of mind and that's why this country is so messed up. Can you be 100% sure that they they won't drop you, wouldn't you like to have more options if they do?

bmer650: you filth liar, what is your motivation, My 82 yr grandfather just had triple heart bypass even after having prostrate cancer. Do you know what it cost nothing! Carry on watching Hanity, you moron. your health system is also killing your industry, the rest of the world dose not want you to reform, it makes all your industries uncompetitive, good luck when China owns you all !!!! long live Wal-mart!!!!

bmer650: by the way Moron i am in the UK, I love the way you sponges believe all that Fox news tells you.. motivation? are you a lobbyist, lets hope your life goes as planed and you don't loose your health insurance when you need it most... I love America and spend 9 months a year there, but it's js too expensive, with property tax, income tax, health insurance premiums. It's 15% more than i payed in the UK. At least in the UK you get something for your taxes

mbsells77: I'm sure you are a physician that supports national healthcare and with it- limits on physician pay. I'm equally sure you actually spend time on the phone with insurance companies rather than having your actual staff handle these matters. Finally your job is to treat the patient, not decide the fate of the patient when an insurance company may not cover a necessary procedure.

mbsells77: How much do you pay in taxes bmer650? In Canada a person making $35K pays 49% in taxes. Here a person who is making that same kind of money, with their deductions, wouldn't pay more than 18% in taxes. I don't believe they treated your grandfather at 82 with a triple bypass because in England he would be well over the $45K limits placed on care in his age range and if for some reason he was allowed to go through such a procedure then it cost him half his pay and your pay these past few decades.

mbsells77: kmwagner why are you lying? Obamacare does exactly that, review for procedures given age, to determine if these procedures are to costly given your value in society. Maybe you fell asleep recently but the AARP lost over 70K members because the organization supports Obamacare. Once the facts outlining mandates for elderly citizens became apparent, the seniors started dropping AARP like a bad habit.

bmer650: Of course you wouldn't believe it you are a brain washed minion, I can tell you my income tax is more than yours in the US but i pay far less property tax and do not have to pay for health insurance, so if you add all that up.. you pay more in the USA!! BUT you get nothing in return, just the ability to fight wars around the world benefiting people that hate us all!!! In the UK we do not have to save $100'000's to pay for college for our children, no one needs to be scared to get sick.

MVDhazel: I do feel bad but that's life for ya. Now if you want you can become a canadian citizen and you'd have instant health care or you can go to mexico for cheeper procedures, but don't drag us all down with ya.

bmer650: Oh dear, you're an American? Is that how you would like to be treated? Wow

LisaSmithFL: I want to let you all know that I am no longer unemployed. I have a great job with a great company & have health insurance again. I'm disappointed in the level of discourse that has occurred here. We have a great opportunity in the U.S. to take on our moral & ethical responsibility to care for our poor and instead we get people saying some very hateful things. I have a hard time understanding why the 'Christian Right' isn't on board with this and would rather let our poor go w/o medical care.

LisaSmithFL: My story ends well as I am finally working and back to being a "productive" citizen. Not that I wasn't before, as I utilized my unemployment to do volunteer work while looking for a job. I wish everyone here godspeed and for all of you who posted hateful comments, please, please, please, spend some time volunteering - in nursing homes, in soup kitchens, in group homes, etc. See the people that are discarded by the system.

LisaSmithFL: If you find yourself judging the poor, go instead to your church or other place of worship and volunteer there. It's past time to fix this broken health care system and it's past time for people to learn some compassion. I have a hard time understanding the Right's position on this. It seems so counter to the christianity that I learned growing up.

smoovun: Vitro Diagnostics might have a cure for diabetes, saving trillions in health care costs.

dabambz: Ouch thats cold, is christianity different from every country? Because the christians in america seems to be selfish and only look out for themselves.

MVDhazel: True it if cruel for me not to help but what's even worse if for everyone to have to have the same low class "treatments" that can hardly be called treatment. I personally don't want to screw others over just because people DON'T ask for hand outs from their churches from their communities from their family and even from their state, county or government OR other willing companies that will spend money for people to get treatment... now i say that they should fend for themselves *sarcasm!*

bmer650: perfectly said, Christianity is America is all about money and being forgiven for what you have done that week. That's it.

dabambz: Where do you get all your information from mbsells77? First you say the UK puts caps of 45k to elderly and children, which I find hard to believe but i'm not from the UK. I am in canada however and theres no mention here about turning to the private sector, thats only a scare tactics use here used by politicians. 45% taxes? for $35k earner? I say its aroudn 20-30% depending if you have dependants, home renovation credit. Lots of factors. So plz get your information with more one source.

Eddyisgreat: I can't really wrap my head around what Lisa is trying to say. Don't get me wrong, she seems like a very nice woman, but she doesn't even begin to know how much her treatments cost. Water in the brain? Yowch. That's GOT to be expensive, no doubt, but you also don't consider the fact that you will gain much MUCH more financially out of the system than you will have put into it. Of course, that's how insurance works, but it doesn't achieve the same affect if you are already sick when going in.

wallster44: How dare she criticize insurance companies for denying her a healthcare plan. How are they supposed to make ridicules profits and pay their CEO's millions of dollars if they have to accept some ill people! Insurance is a profit business, why can't she just get sick and die quietly? American capitalism is great and it's people like her who are trying to stop this great American system. Seriously, how disgusting have American morals become? People who defend them are simply cold heartless shells.

Author: BarackObamadotcom; Uploaded: Jun 26, 2009; Duration: 2:10; Views: 6238

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