I'm going to put the disclaimer out now. There's a real good chance I'm going to use language I typically don't use. I've felt many emotions since I've been involved with the Pink Heals Tour, joy, sadness, regret to name a few.
Today, for the first time, I can add anger to the list.
Let me back up a bit. Today we went to a place called Tradition Square in Port St. Lucie. They had a parade for us and then on the "town square" there was an open air party with food vendors, a couple different bands and a variety of local vendors.
And, of course, us.
We set up the bus and positioned Karen and Leslie.
And welcomed a bunch of people.
As the evening wore on there seemed to be a rush of survivors. Many not overtly seeking to sign but once I asked and offered, they lit up and relished the opportunity. I received so many hugs and saw a few tears streaming down cheeks and heard so many "thank you for what you do" comments, it really felt amazing.
And then, I saw Harry, pushing Donna toward me in her wheelchair. Donna; on oxygen, wearing a hat and far more clothes than you would expect to see someone wearing in central Florida this time of year, rolled up to me and as I leaned over to hug her, thanked me for bringing our trucks to the event.
I introduced myself as I hugged her and when I told her I was from Chicago, she said she took her treatment in Zion, IL. Zion, in case you don't know, is on Lake Michigan, roughly at the Illinois/Wisconsin border.
As I straightened up I asked her husband, Harry, what brought them down to Florida. I thought it was odd that someone as obviously weakened as Donna would travel down here on a vacation. Harry said
"We live down here."
I'm sure I had a stupid look on my face because he went on to explain
"Donna's insurance sends us up there for treatment. There are closer places but they either don't use them or we can't get in."
That's right, Donna's health insurance company, a well-known company with a color and a religious symbol and a color and piece of armor in their name sends Donna half-way across the country to treat her cancer.
Is anyone else confused?
Is anyone else upset?
Is anyone else effing outraged?
No? How bout this...
The insurance company pays Donna's airfare to Zion, IL for treatment (Yaay big insurance company!) but they don't pay Harry's airfare since he's only the caregiver.
That's right, big insurance company apparently feels it's perfect;y normal for a terminal, Stage 4 cancer patient, a woman whose disease has metastasized throughout her body, is perfectly capable of traveling from Florida to Illinois by herself.
Show of hands, who thinks healthcare in this country doesn't need to change?
Who thinks health insurance companies in this country care about anything other than their own bottom line? Come on, show of hands again.
Who thinks preexisting conditions should exclude you from insurance? Because preexisting conditions like cancer would prevent Donna from trying to find a fucking insurance company that actually cares about, you know, human beings and not their shareholders accounts or their CEO's compensation packages.
I'm getting angry all over again typing this.
This is bullshit.
This is insane.
This is criminal.
And it's got to stop.
Think about this story, really think about it. If you know any elected officials, tell them about this story. Challenge them to get angry. Challenge them to fix this.
I'm a lifelong Democrat. I'm a bleeding-heart liberal. I'm a proud union member.
This is NOT about Democrats or Republicans. This is NOT about liberal or conservative. This is NOT about labor or management. It's NOT about politics.
This is about PEOPLE!
Pink Heals!
Peace
WE NEED TO FIX THIS!
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