A rant

I came across a news story about an elderly man who killed his wife and himself because they could no longer afford to pay the medical bills from treatment they required to survive comfortably.

The article was full of the usual platitudes about suicide and “seeking help.” Yeah, that’s great. How could this have been avoided? Additional medical bills, of course!

Great solution, Sheriff! He should’ve called 911 so that they could lock him up on suicide watch and further fuck up their lives. More medical bills, and then a bill from the jail for their “services.” Yes, they send you a bill for jail. That’s why people go back to jail. They can’t pay the outrageous jail bills and end up getting arrested again, so they can rack up more debt.

Let’s see what CBS News has to say:

Go to the ER? And tell them what? That you’re going to harm yourself? Again, hospitalization or jail. More bills. Lawsuits and garnishments and endless harassment when you don’t pay. What a great solution! Fuck off.

Here the real solution: People need to get off their “that’s socialism” high horse when it comes to getting our shit together. We pay taxes for roads and schools, but we resist supporting each other medically because “that’s socialism!” So I guess we can just sit here and fucking die because we can’t afford insulin or other meds, right? At least it’s not socialism and we get to stand firm on our principles!

Pretty easy when you have money to pay for whatever minor medical care you’re getting, to sit back and criticize poor people like “Don’t like it? Get a better job!”

That’s cute. Guess what? If I hadn’t had insurance, my gallbladder removal two years ago, a simple outpatient procedure, would have cost one hundred thousand dollars. No one can afford that. Even afterwards there was still quite a hefty bill, which they promptly sued me for when I couldn’t pay it all at once.

When I went to the ER last month because I was hemorrhaging blood out of my ass, this lady came in and started harassing me about payment and co-pays and all this shit as I was lying there clutching my stomach on the exam table.

What in the fuck is wrong with us? Why are we like this? Why are all our advancements and innovations geared towards entertainment and fun rather than the fundamental needs of life?

People don’t go to the doctor because it costs too much fucking money. They certainly don’t go to the ER, and to suggest that someone who committed suicide over medical bills should have gone to the ER to discuss it with someone is ludicrous at best.

We don’t like to fix things here. We like to grandstand about problems like mass shootings and outrageous, life-wrecking healthcare costs to make ourselves feel better about it. Then we put it out of our heads until it comes up again. Then we say more nice things and make ourselves feel better about it until it comes up again. Then we say nice things and feel better about it until it comes up again. Then we say nice things and feel better about it until it comes up again. Then we say nice things and feel better about it until it comes up again. Then we say nice things and feel better about it until it comes up again. Then we say nice things and feel better about it until it comes up again. Then we say nice things and feel better about it until it comes up again. Then we say nice things and feel better about it until it comes up again. Then we say nice things and feel better about it until it comes up again.

So anyway, yeah, if you’re unable to survive because of high medical bills and see no alternative but to kill yourself, here’s what you do: Go rack up some more medical bills! ‘Murrica!

This is where we need to be: when you’re sick, you should be able to go to the doctor without worrying about it wrecking your life. The doctor should be empowered to provide the care you need without some beady-eyed insurance company bean counter overriding his judgement. Healthcare should be a worry-free process, financially. There is no room for discussion or debate here. If you don’t like that option, then you can excuse yourself from the table and go die somewhere wrapped in a flag while singing the national anthem or some shit. At least it’s not socialism! That sure would be horrible, wouldn’t it? People having access to healthcare just like they do roads, bridges, schools, etc. At least you can die watching some billion dollar CGI crapfest on your new 4K 3D 50 inch screen. Just be sure to take a moment, when you see a story like this, to shake your head and lament the fact that they didn’t seek “help.” That’s a very important part of the bullshitting process!

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