15 years ago, I worked diligently to help pass the Affordable Care Act. As a hospital oncology social worker I saw the tremendous health disparities due to those who were uninsured. One of my patients. Who I will call “Dee”, was a tragic example. Thread🧵1) - ThreadSky

debturismith.bsky.social • 9 days ago

15 years ago, I worked diligently to help pass the Affordable Care Act. As a hospital oncology social worker I saw the tremendous health disparities due to those who were uninsured. One of my patients. Who I will call “Dee”, was a tragic example. Thread🧵1)

Comments

mommom-dayton.bsky.social•9 days ago

Most heartbreaking is there are literally millions of people like Dee. Most of us know someone who died unnecessarily because they delayed medical care due to lack of insurance or adequate insurance. What we really need is universal healthcare for all regardless of employment status or wealth.

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

Without a doubt. It can be easily done, but sadly, the insurance industry is a multi billion $$$$$$ operation, with lots of power. I don’t see it ever happening.

mommom-dayton.bsky.social•9 days ago

My grandmother, born in 1901, never thought she'd see women winning the right to vote. As Bernie recently said, 99% is a lot more than 1%. Perhaps we need to stop listening to the rich jerks who tell us "you can't, we can't" constantly and just MAKE it happen. Pressure politicians hard for a start.

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

Amen!

asymetricjockey.bsky.social•9 days ago

The richest country in the world still stubbornly resists universal healthcare because it’s “ socialism” and removes choice-arguments made by uber rich politicians and media personalities lobbied by insurance companies.. it’s shameful, despicable and sickening. Thank God I live in Europe!

fidelistojustice.bsky.social•9 days ago

Your thread describes the depravity of how for-profit healthcare has too often worked.

It's still far from perfect. But ACA definitely made it better for the working poor, which is why Republicans and the Health Industrial Complex profiteers hate it.

truebleu.bsky.social•9 days ago

Also, I wasn’t even the working poor then. I had plenty of money to pay for healthcare insurance and I did over $1000 a month. I had been healthy and didn’t like going to doctors. That changed suddenly when I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition.

truebleu.bsky.social•9 days ago

My insurance company (guess which one) dropped me immediately and I couldn’t get insured anywhere else, being diagnosed with a pre-existing condition.

truebleu.bsky.social•9 days ago

It was hell. I will never forgive the insurance companies or forget how brutal they were. Fortunately Obama won and he ran on Healthcare. Finally 2.5 years after he was elected Obamacare was finally signed into law.

truebleu.bsky.social•9 days ago

I will always be so grateful for the people that fought to make that happen, especially: Obama, Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid.
#HandsOff our healthcare.

truebleu.bsky.social•9 days ago

All of its imperfections are there because of the resistance of the GOP, (now MAGA). Obama with the crafters of the original ACA had the intention of having there be a public option. When he first met with the GOP after taking office they made it clear they weren’t giving him an inch.

fidelistojustice.bsky.social•9 days ago

💯

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

I will NEVER forgive Mcconell for that.

truebleu.bsky.social•9 days ago

Me either. That’s when I knew what our beloved, new President was really up against. And how McC and GOP would do anything to win.

terilg.bsky.social•9 days ago

Let’s not forget the efforts of Joe Lieberman to block the public option. It was not just the GOP in the way. We need to get money out of politics, because it’s a disease across the political spectrum.

truebleu.bsky.social•9 days ago

😡 I did forget that. What a POS. Yes you are right.

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

Without a doubt. But to be clear , our doctors and hospital provided amazing care for her; but at that point, it was not curative.💔

fidelistojustice.bsky.social•9 days ago

❤️💯

monoelnana.bsky.social•7 days ago

Thank you for your fighting for all of the Dee’s. It is one of my fears that I will not be covered through a loophole if that is removed.

debturismith.bsky.social•7 days ago

I was truly happy to do so! The fight must continue.

monoelnana.bsky.social•7 days ago

We all must fight harder. Thank you for taking the lead.

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

Dee was chronically poor, had no family support and worked in a retail setting until she lost her job. She developed health symptoms,and because of her lack of insurance she withheld going to a doctor. A couple of months later, she was fortunate to have found a job in another retail store.🧵2)

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

She was pleased that she was now going to receive health insurance. But upon visiting a doctor, she discovered the probability of cancer which eventually was diagnosed. Her insurance carrier refused to cover her, stating she had a pre-existing illness. 💔🧵3) heartbreaking.

sarjen.bsky.social•8 days ago

Don’t forget that employers could impose lifetime coverage maximums. The ACA added two years of coverage to my late husband’s life. It came just in time for us.

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

“Dee” had withheld going to the doctor sooner because of her lack of insurance. The additional injustice was when finally insured ,that it offered her nothing because of a pre-existing condition. This is what the Affordable Care Act has done for people. It has guaranteed them coverage regardless.🧵4)

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

Colon cancer in most cases now is not only treatable but curable. Delays in treatment alter life expectancy & quality of life for millions of people. This illness eventually took Dee’s life. 💔 Her healthcare providers, myself included, were heartbroken. But before she died, I made her a promise. 🧵5)

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

I pledged to fight as hard as I possibly could to pass the Affordable Care Act. Passage of it was one of the most joyous days. It was sweet relief for this weary social worker, having witnessed so much suffering due to a lack of insurance. We simply cannot allow this to be taken away. 🧵6)

truebleu.bsky.social•9 days ago

I thank you for this story and your fight. I was a fighter and campaigner for the ACA as well. It was personal for me, due to a condition that left me uninsurable. After 3 1/2 years of panicking every day because I was uninsured,

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

The Affordable Care Act is the very least we can do for “The least of these”. In your memory, “Dee”, I will continue to fight. The #ACASavesLives

grancracker.bsky.social•9 days ago

What a terribly sad story, Deb 😩 There is no excuse for it. Thank you for your hard work helping people 🙏

debturismith.bsky.social•9 days ago

It was so heartbreaking, and it was a privilege to be in that space of serving others. Truly. I will simply not allow that bastard to strip away the ACA.

grancracker.bsky.social•9 days ago

I think it takes a special kind of person to do what you do. AND we all need ACA!

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply