President Obama and Congress: If You Missed Wise County, Join Me in L.A.

The insurance industry, its business allies and its shills in Congress are doing their best once again to scare us away from real health care reform, just as they did 15 years ago. Using the same tactics and language they did then, insurers and their cronies are warning us that America will be sliding down a slippery slope toward socialism if the federal government creates a public insurance option to compete with the cartel of huge for-profit companies that now dominate the health insurance industry.

One of the false images they try to create in our minds is of long waits for needed care if our reformed health care system resembles in any way the systems of other developed countries in the world--systems that don't deny a single citizen access to affordable care, much less 50 million of them.

Here is a real image, and a very scary one, that I wish those overpaid insurance executives and members of Congress could have witnessed before dawn a few days ago: a thousand men, women and children standing for hours, in the dark, in a line that seemed to be endless, waiting patiently for a chance -- a chance because the need is so great many are turned away -- to get much-needed care from a volunteer doctor.

That is the scene they would have witnessed if they had bothered to come to the Wise County, Virginia, fairgrounds for the 10th annual Remote Area Medical (RAM) Expedition, a thee-day event in the southern Appalachians that grows larger every year as more and more Americans join the ranks of the uninsured and the underinsured.

Among those standing in line were people who thought they had decent health insurance until they really needed it. They found out the hard way that the policies insurers are forcing most of us into these days require us to put much more "skin in the game," as insurers say, so we will be more prudent "consumers" of health care.

When I came to the Wise expedition as a curious insurance company public relations executive two years ago, I was so shaken by what I saw that I knew immediately I was doing PR for the wrong side of the health care reform debate. A few months after that I walked away from a job that paid me very well to be one of the industry's mouthpieces.

When I returned to Wise last week, this time as someone trying to pull the curtain back on despicable insurance industry practices such as "purging" people from insurance rolls when they become sick, I was even angrier, even more outraged at what passes for a health care system than I was in 2007.

Knowing the industry as I do, it takes extraordinary callowness and heartlessness to surprise me. I didn't think I was capable of being shocked by insurers' greed.

I was wrong. What I learned is that many people who stand in those long lines at RAM events (the Wise expedition is the organization's 575th), are people who have been told by their insurance companies that they should call RAM if they don't have enough money to get needed care because they can't afford to pay their out-of-pocket expenses.

That's right, insurance company bureaucrats, who are under constant pressure from Wall Street analysts and investors to spend less and less of every premium dollar they receive from us to pay medical claims, are telling their policyholders to seek charity care. They are telling them to go stand in long lines, in the dark, at events held once a year, to get the care they thought their insurance companies would pay for just so they can put more of their premium dollars in the pockets of their executives and shareholders.

When I heard that I asked how much money RAM, a nonprofit organization that depends entirely on donations, has received this year -- or any year for that matter--from the insurance industry. I knew the answer but wanted to ask it anyway. If you guessed nothing, you guessed right.

Back in the early '90s, when the insurance industry was spending millions of dollars, as it is now, to scare us away from any additional involvement of the federal government in our health care system, one of the executives I wrote speeches for quoted 18th century economist Adam Smith's famous line about the ruthless "invisible hand" of the market in calling for less, rather than more, government regulation of the industry.

He was right: the invisible hand has indeed been ruthless. Fifteen years after he gave that speech, far more Americans are uninsured and underinsured. Millions of people have lost their homes or filed for bankruptcy because they couldn't afford to pay their medical bills. Thousands of our family members and neighbors have died needlessly because they didn't go to the doctor or pick up their prescriptions because they didn't have adequate insurance.

On behalf of the millions of men, women and children who will suffer the same fate unless Congress passes real reform this year, I am issuing this invitation to President Obama and members of Congress: join me at the next RAM event, which will be held over eight days next month in Los Angeles (August 11-18).

Congress, if you must take your August vacation, spend a day or two of it -- or a few minutes of it, if that's all you can spare--helping to register the many thousands of your fellow Americans who will be standing in long lines, in the dark, waiting for the doors of the Forum to open. Chances are you visited the Forum in years past to see the Lakers play. Be prepared this time to see it fulfilling an entirely different function, and be prepared to look those folks in the eye and explain why you needed to go on vacation before passing health care reform. And explain to them why many of you are saying we just can't afford reform, so let's just call the whole thing off and let the private market continue to work its ruthless magic.

Remember, Congress: while you are on vacation, 150,000 Americans will lose their insurance, many of them will file for bankruptcy because of mounting medical bills, and at least 1,500 will die because they don't have coverage that gives them access to care they need.

I'm looking forward to seeing you in L.A.


Wendell Potter is the Senior Fellow on Health Care for the Center for Media and Democracy in Madison, Wisconsin. A version of this article originally appeared on the Huffington Post.

Comments

I think people in both countries could come up with horror stories about Health Care. I just think that over all the Canadian system is fair for the people at large. Not just for those who can afford it.

You are simply lieing. I was born at the hospital I can see from here 50 years ago. I have been to hospitals all over BC for a variety of ailments for which I am now considered legally disabled. Granted, several times I have become exasperated by the wait at the walk-in emergency entrance because I was in considerable pain, but I, and no-one I know has ever had to wait any time at all to receive critical care when it was needed. So unless your sister almost died of waiting for a badly needed face-lift and it was in fact her husband that was dieing due having to keep looking at her every morning for more months than should be expected of any human being, then unless you provide some details that are crackable, I must conclude that you are simply protesting socialized medicine out of some misguided ideological motive.

I too was on the other side of the health care industry.. I sold health insurance to the self-employed from 1993-1999. My biggest frustration was seeing small businesses struggle to cover their own families, and perhaps offer limited insurance to their employees and/or families. When it came to turning in a claim, the insurance companies did their darndest to get out of paying, unless the insured put in the pressure. It wasn't always that way, but 75% of the time. That we need health care reform is a moot point. Having said that, what we don't need is a government run government controlled system. We don't need another 'Government Motors', i.e. GM. I have first hand knowledge and experience what government controlled heatlth care can do. I have four sisters that live in Canada, and my youngest sister was put on a waiting list for 9 months for a much needed surgery, during which time she got weaker and weaker, almost to the point where she couldn't function. In her early 30's, she didn't deserve to be treated that way. That kind of service we don't need here. If you want to see what it would be like, look at any government run agency now, and that will give you a good overview of what we would be looking at! Let's talk reform, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. Let's not let this president continue his power grab! Federal government has turned into a bohemoth that is out of control. Our founding fathers would roll over in their graves if they would see what this country has become. It's time to rein in our out-of-control federal government, and give the power back to the people and the states.

<blockquote>If you want to see what it would be like, look at any government run agency now, and that will give you a good overview of what we would be looking at!</blockquote> Please. Other commenters have already cited services our government performs well. Repeating that tired mantra gets you nothing. <blockquote>Our founding fathers would roll over in their graves if they would see what this country has become.</blockquote> Um...women, people who don't own property, and black people voting? <blockquote>Let's talk reform, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. </blockquote> On the contrary, there can be no real reform as long as we're stuck with this for-profit "baby." It, not government, ought to be "drowned in the bathtub."

Please. Other commenters have already cited services our government performs well. Repeating that tired mantra gets you nothing. Maybe you should ask a vet that has used veteran's hospital, or how about the post office that is constantly in the red, the billions of pork...no thank you, I don't need any more of that kind of government. Let me be clear, government isn't bad, as long as it is kept in check by the true sovereign, the people. We should never fear our govenment nor be controlled by it, government should fear its people and by controlled by the people. Um...women, people who don't own property, and black people voting? Well, if just property owners voted, maybe votes couldn't be bought or bussed in...o-o-o-ps, did I say that out loud? I'm not choosing sides here, both sides of the isle are guilty. On the contrary, there can be no real reform as long as we're stuck with this for-profit "baby." It, not government, ought to be "drowned in the bathtub." So I guess making profit is bad, and a government that confiscates our money is good? Wow... no wonder this country is in the shape its in! Oh well, I'm already classified as a terrorist because I dare speak out against an out-of-control socialist leaning government!

<blockquote>Maybe you should ask a vet that has used veteran's hospital...</blockquote> So you'd prefer to find yourself completely on you own if you were a wounded or disabled veteran, without at least the option of a veteran's hospital and other veterans' services? You served your country, remember? <blockquote>...or how about the post office that is constantly in the red...</blockquote> So you'd prefer to do without a postal service and leave it to chance that some private service would consider your needs profitable enough for them to notice your existence? <blockquote>We should never fear our government nor be controlled by it, government should fear its people and by controlled by the people.</blockquote> Nice idea, except for the Golden Rule: "He who has the gold makes the rules." And that increasingly means corporations making the rules for government -- how could you not notice that if you're so concerned with pork? -- and for you and me, either through government or directly. This miserable for-profit health insurance system, and the way the industry is pulling out all the stops in the fight over reform, is but one fine example of that. <blockquote>So I guess making profit is bad, and a government that confiscates our money is good?</blockquote> Depends on what you profit from, and how -- standing between sick people and needed health care and gouging those people for every last cent isn't my idea of right livelihood. And I don't know about you, but protection from dependence a system like that is one thing I'd be glad to pay taxes for. <blockquote>Oh well, I'm already classified as a terrorist because I dare speak out against an out-of-control socialist leaning government!</blockquote> Not in the least. Only wingnuts are so over-the-top about "terrorism." <blockquote>Well, if just property owners voted, maybe votes couldn't be bought or bussed in...o-o-o-ps, did I say that out loud?</blockquote> The cheese stands alone.

I am a vet and have used the VA Hospital services. I have found them to be exemplary. My appointment starts on time and there is very little waiting during the entire time you are there. In emergency clinic, the time it takes to see you is many times shorter then a comparable visit to a general hospital. My dad (WW 2 vet) has used the services as well and have found them to be very good. So the government has done a great job in providing health care to me and my family. I would encourage all medical services to look at the VA medical system and see how they can emulate them! They are focused on the patient and provide a great professional and compassionate care. Their use of technology and communications truly allow the close doctor patient focused care that I see missing in many of todays practices.

Great story! For more on the RAM•LA clinic, please see the official website for the clinic at: http://ramclinic.info/

Veterans, who are participants in a healthcare system, other than the one under which they retired (now it's Humana Healthcare... Tricare... etc) are required to make their claims under their companies' healthcare program. My company uses CIGNA, so, that' what I make as my primary healthcare system, under the rules. So, when I go to the doctor, etc, I show them my Cigna card and my retired military ID number and my Humana documentation... the problems start. Cigna, of course pays their party, but then, when attempting to make the claim via Humana... the ball gets dropped. I never had this problem when I was with just Humana, without the rules that my employer's system had to be used. It seems to me that, since the "nationalized" healthcare program of funding via Tricare/VA was better, that I should be allowed to use that vice the company provided inferior CIGNA healthcare program.... and yes, I thought my healthcare would be all paid for upon putting in 20 years and retiring from the military, but, alas, my recruiters never knew that the United States citizens would make me pay for my healthcare via an annual "minimal" fee, payable to Humana Healthcare (Tricare Prime). So, yes, nationalized healthcare seems to be "better" but, one's own citizens can't be depended upon to keep their word, so, I can understand the misgivings about a national healthcare system, run by the citizens of the United States of America.

I like others here on your blog, would like to thank you. For years, I have been denouncing the insurance companies as profit making entities unconcerned with humans. I honestly think that taking them out of the equation of health care is the way to go. This country has become more and more divided into the 'haves' and the 'have nots'. The 'have' are more likely to be content because the current system works for them. But the human cost is too high and something needs to be done. You are using the background and information you have to create positive change. I respectfully thank you.

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