Posted on 03/18/2014 8:24:04 AM PDT by grundle
A pastor recently diagnosed with cancer, and who is covered under Obamacare, tells a local Iowa reporter that there's "no compassion in the Affordable Care Act."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVRLCLcZljY
"Back in January, Pastor Angran was diagnosed with stage three cancer of the esophagus. He had insurance, but because of a previous heart condition, it did not cover the treatments he needed for his cancer. He found that out just minutes before receiving life-saving chemo," says the local reporter.
The pastor says, "One of the workers came and said let me talk to you. And so I went to talk to her. She says that we found out that your insurance does not include chemo."
"Over the past two months, the Angrans have emptied their savings account and racked up $50,000 in debt. They signed up for the Affordable Care Act," says the local reporter, "but found it to be anything but affordable. It will cost the couple more than $800 per month, money they just don't have."
The reporter adds, "As a pastor, Angran has devoted his life to helping others, to being compassionate. He says, 'There's no compassion in the Affordable Care Act.'" Related Stories
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
Tony Snow
And it still only paid...I think it was 60% once all that was met. That is not insurance it is pure theft.
A pre-existing heart condition should have no bearing on treating someone for cancer. Unless the said treatments would cause his heart to fail.
That, or otherwise reduce his chances to something minuscule right off the bat. Chemo is usually pretty hard on the body.
We have no indication of this.
We have no clear statement of it, but it’s an obvious reason. It would be a better article if a bunch of things were more clearly stated.
The fact of the matter is that pre-existing conditions are covered under Obamacare.
They are covered to the extent that the treatments are covered, new or pre-existing. There are other articles than this one which describe the covered treatments narrowing from plans people had previously. The main ones I recall were complaining about the inability to cancel functionally useless plans.
When I retire later this year, I will fall under TriCare Prime. The annual family enrollment fee is •Family: $547.68 per year Then there are co-pays but they are really not steep at all: Tricare Copays
If I move out of the Prime area coverage or system then like many plans it is a 80%/20% deal.
Years ago I never thought being part of any military health care system active duty or retired was a good deal. Now after seeing Obamacare, I have a pretty good deal.
I agree, Redleghunter.
My father was in a position where oncologists refused chemo because they thought the chemo would hurt him more. The insurance company didn't refuse to pay for chemo; the doctors were making that decision.
If the pastor had a heart condition that could be worsened with chemo, an oncologist might decide not to treat him. He's receiving chemo, so his oncologist must have no objection to him receiving it. So, why would the insurance company object?
It really sounds as if, like I think you suggested earlier, his insurance plan through the church just was not a very good one. Hopefully people will help this pastor, run a fundraiser, etc., to help him pay off that big bill. Then he can focus on just getting well.
Absolutely a no-brainer right there. :-)
I was diagnosed with stage 3A colon cancer a couple of years ago at the age of 44.
A few years ago, I read that stage 3 colon cancer has a very good prognosis.
But, even if the survival rate were, say, 6%, fighting cancer is still worth a try because - who knows? - the patient could be in that 6%. Sadly, I had a relative (only 42 with two young sons) fighting a rare type of colon cancer the same year I was fighting cancer. Unfortunately, in her case, the specific type of cancer was particularly brutal. She fought so hard, but she didn't make it through the year. She was beautiful, by the way. And, with a young family to raise, she did everything she could to try to beat it - starting with chemo and, when it didn't work, her husband drove her everywhere looking for clinical trials. It was worth the try, for her sons' sake.
This is about gross coverage eligibility, not about treatment protocols.
My sympathies on the loss of your friend. Heartbreaking, she was very young and the children...
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