Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Gov't Refuses Transplant, NYTimes Says it's Insurance Problem?
Publius Forum ^ | 09/09/09 | Warner Todd Huston

Posted on 09/09/2009 9:11:35 AM PDT by Mobile Vulgus

It is interesting to see how people will twist and turn reality in order to support President Obama's socialistic healthcare program, but this story has to take the cake. It is the story as detailed in The New York Times of Eric De La Cruz, a young man who was sadly diagnosed with a heart condition in his 20s.

Eric was diagnosed with severe dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart that enlarges and weakens the heart muscle. Unfortunately, Mr. De La Cruz and his loving sister, former CNN on-air talent Veronica, toiled for several precious but wasted years to find a way to get the heart transplant that Eric needed to prolong his life. Mr. De La Cruz was never able to get his transplant and died waiting for a transplant that never came.

The delays were several. To begin with, Mr. De La Cruz did not have any insurance to rely on to fund his care. For several years the De La Cruz' went through enrollment for Social Security disability benefits -- of which he was twice refused -- and later successfully for Medicaid benefits that would come through his home state of Nevada. Unfortunately, Nevada's state enforced rules excluded anyone past the age of 20 for heart transplants. The state of Nevada determined it could not change its 20 and under rule even though it was clear that Mr. De La Cruz would die without the operation.

Read the rest at Publiusforum.com...


TOPICS: Government; Health/Medicine; Local News; Politics
KEYWORDS: healthcare; obama
Pointing fingers everywhere but where it belongs pointed to!
1 posted on 09/09/2009 9:11:35 AM PDT by Mobile Vulgus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Mobile Vulgus

20, is the new 65 when it comes to heart transplants.


2 posted on 09/09/2009 9:13:12 AM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mobile Vulgus

Obama, Pelosi and the rest of the communists in our government (as well as their supporters) will tell whatever lies they feel they have to. They want what they want, even though they have to lie to get it.


3 posted on 09/09/2009 9:15:33 AM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mobile Vulgus

20 and under rule?? say what?


4 posted on 09/09/2009 9:19:38 AM PDT by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com ............. http://tyrannysentinel.blogspot.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mobile Vulgus

What do they expect? Of course he couldn’t buy health insurance! Health insurance isn’t run by charities - it’s for profit! Do you really expect the shareholders and investors to lose money?

Very very sick people who need expensive treatment are a money-losing proposition. No insurance company that cares about its balance sheet should insure them.

And I speak as a stroke survivor who cannot get health insurance of any kind. I will cost them money, so they will not insure me.

If I can’t pay for my treatment myself - well, businesses aren’r run as charities. The message is clear.


5 posted on 09/09/2009 9:20:55 AM PDT by worst-case scenario (Striving to reach the light)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mobile Vulgus
For several years the De La Cruz' went through enrollment for Social Security disability benefits -- of which he was twice refused.

So, Government flatly denies him his promised 'entitlement' and the NYT thinks the solution is more Government 'entitlement'.

The vapid circular logic of the left is astounding.
6 posted on 09/09/2009 9:36:27 AM PDT by bamahead (Avoid self-righteousness like the devil- nothing is so self-blinding. -- B.H. Liddell Hart)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: worst-case scenario

What do they expect? Of course he couldn’t buy health insurance! Health insurance isn’t run by charities - it’s for profit! Do you really expect the shareholders and investors to lose money?

And that my FRiend, is exactly the problem with some health insurance companies. They are not in it for the health care part of the equation, only the profit portion. That is one thing I do have a problem with is that insurance company execs making tons of money while lawyers write the fine print that eliminates coverages/treatments that one would expect to be covered.

This by no means should be taken as I support this, or any, socialized medicine bill.


7 posted on 09/09/2009 9:50:12 AM PDT by Cyclone59 (Everything that hits the fan is not evenly distributed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Cyclone59

“They are not in it for the health care part of the equation, only the profit portion.”

This is true of any business. Food Lion makes a profit selling you a necessity that you’d die without! The reality is that no company can make a profit without providing a service at a cost that is lower than the amount people are willing to pay for it. The average profits of health insurance companies amount to 3.5%. On what planet is that an excessive amount?

“That is one thing I do have a problem with is that insurance company execs making tons of money”
This is another unexamined premise trotted out by liberal critics such as Obama. In my state, which is very typical, the CEO of Blue Cross (which, as in many states, has a market share over 50%, hence it would not surprise me if he was the best-compensated health insurance exec in the state) earns a salary that amounts to $1 per year per member. It is a pittance compared to the thousands of dollars in premium paid by the average subscriber.

Sure, he makes a “ton of money” compared to me and probably all but a handful of subscribers, but he’s also running a business with revenues measured in billions. Believe it or not, the talent to run such vast enterprises is not plentiful, so insurance companies essentially have to pay the “going rate” else these execs will go into banking, Wall Street, biotech or other industries.

But none of the foregoing facts is going to stand in the way of Obama, Pelosi and others in vilifying the health insurance industry, cuz they know populist pandering sells!


8 posted on 09/09/2009 10:37:10 AM PDT by DrC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson