Jobless, Or About To Be – And Rushing To Use Medical Benefits

[Pale Blue Dot]

Source: The Hartford Courant



Paul Dionne began a mad dash in January to get himself and his two children in to see the doctor, the dentist and the optician.

No one was sick or in pain. Nonetheless, Dionne, 46, was in a desperate race against time. At the beginning of the year, he and his co-workers at DHL Express in West Hartford had been told that they might be laid off.

"As soon as I heard that, I started making doctors' appointments," Dionne said. "I told everyone, 'I need to get in as soon as I can. My health care is going to run out.'"

As millions of Americans lose their jobs, doctors and dentists say they're facing a new kind of medical emergency — patients anxious to schedule appointments before their health care coverage expires.

More than 60 percent of workers have health insurance through their employers, according to a recent report by The Commonwealth Fund. "Thus, when workers lose their jobs, they generally also lose their benefits," the report said.


Read more: http://www.courant.com/business/hc-ctdocs0302.artmar02,0,7905748.story

[Delphinus]

1. When the doctors and dentists

start losing business because no one can afford both health insurance and health care, maybe THEN we'll get someone to hear us about Single Payer Universal Health Care - HR 676.

Dump the insurance companies who only exist to make money.

[debbierlus]

2. Amen.

[vaberella]

22. Ain't that the truth. I'd sooner subsidize doctors than Agri-business. n/t

[sarcasmo]

3. We are the worst Industrialized nation in the World, IMHO.

[kath]

4. yes, we are - and in quite a few ways.

Death penalty, crime, gun deaths, poverty, multiple health statistics including infant mortality, vacation time, parental leave, worker protections, pensions, health care, cost of university education, multiple quality-of-life measures, food & consumer product safety,..... the list goes on and on.

[sarcasmo]

5. I bet if you made a list of the ten most important things in an Industrialized Nation.

We wouldn't rank anywhere near the top two of any of them.

[WriteDown]

7. See post #6

[sarcasmo]

12. Thanks.

[WriteDown]

6. Have you made your plans to move yet? nt

[Pale Blue Dot]

8. Yes, because it's shut up or move, right?

:eyes:

[WriteDown]

9. No....

But if you feel such intense hatred towards the place you are located, then it just seems logical that you would try to move to a better place.

[sarcasmo]

13. I speak the truth, look at our quality of health care compared to other Industrialized Nations.

Such free republic views here at D/U, why doesn't that surprise me.

[sarcasmo]

14. I think you need to re-think the phrase Intense Hatred.

[wickerwoman]

16. It's almost impossible

without a very specific skill set (and years of experience in a job on a list which changes constantly) to immigrate to another industrialized nation and in the current economic situation it is absolutely impossible as most governments are cracking down even on skilled immigration.

[WriteDown]

17. Agreed....

That is why I argue that we need MUCH stricter immigration guidelines in the US. Western Europe and Asia have learned. Why haven't we?

[wickerwoman]

20. See this thread...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5176686

It's actually not a great thing to restrict skilled immigration to the point that bright, well-educated people don't want to live in your country. Or give up on it because it takes too long and requires too many sacrifices.

[WriteDown]

21. Totally agree....

My issue is with regulating immigration so that we attract the talent that is needed and limit the redundant and unskilled workers.

[Posteritatis]

18. 'Cause that's the only logical option, right?

Can't be a desire to fix things or the like, nooo.

[prolesunited]

23. I didn't sense "intense hatred"

and I think it would be more logical to work hard to bring about the reforms you would like to see.

[sarcasmo]

11. I can no longer speak my mind in this Country? With your line of thinking shouldn't you be over at

Free republic?

[Psephos]

19. Sarcasmo, we all have a place here

I've never seen any good come from dropping the freeper bomb. I like to see a strong counter-argument, not a schoolyard insult. It's okay if we have a diversity of opinion here. In fact, it's salutary.

:toast:

[Dappleganger]

10. We are doing the same...

Getting dental work, eye exams, physicals, yearly exams done for us before it runs out.

[sarcasmo]

15. Kick back to the top. A huge problem in this Country and post 6 has me in an intense rage, LMFAO.