Do you really need another example to prove how fucked up the health care system of the United States is? Well, unfortunately, another example affecting a musician in the scene has been brought to the attention of COMA Music Magazine.Â
Charles Rehill performs under the name of Lost Signal and produces some interesting music that is mostly classified as “futurepopâ€. While producing music and performing, he somehow found a way to get married and start a family. Unfortunately, not everything worked out the way it was planned. Charles and his wife, Kristine, welcomed their baby boy, which they named Eric, into the world. Eric was very excited to get this whole crazy thing called life started and arrived six and half weeks early. Eric then had to spend over a month in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) before he was ready to go home with his parents.
While Eric received the care he needed, his parents are now straddled with an almost quarter of a million dollar bill that their insurance company is not paying stating Eric maxed out his benefits within moments of being born.
COMA understand that all the equipment and supplies needed to take care of a critical ill infant, or adult for that matter, can cost a significant amount. COMA further understands that the doctors and nurses who helped baby Eric get well enough go home deserve to be paid as well. But what we do not understand is how an insurance company can state a person who hasn’t even been alive for more then an hour have reached the maximum benefit threshold.
Insurance companies are for profit institutions. Any first year business student will tell you, in order for any type of company to make money, one of the most important things to do is keep costs down. Therefore it is in the best interests of the insurance companies profit making plans to not make payments. Are we the only ones who find something inherently wrong with a health care system where the costs and payment of those costs are control by companies where it is in their best interests not to pay?
Because of the business model of insurance companies, rather than rejoicing that Eric is home and spending the time getting to know him, Charles and Kristine are being forced to stress about the quarter of a million dollar hospital bill. Rather than spending the time growing as a family they have to gather documentation and deal with lawyers, their local government, and various providers to formulate a way in which to met a financial obligation
There are several ways we can all help. The most immediate is to donate anything you can to Charles and Kristine’s ChipIn campaign. Other ways to help are to do what ever you can to bring attention to the very sad state of the healthcare system in the United States. There are several organizations working towards reforming the healthcare system of the US and we have listed a few of them below. We urge you to support their efforts as one thing is certain: Everyone is going to need healthcare as some point in their life!
Amnesty International’s Report on Healthcare In the United States
Health Care for America Now (HCAN) is a national grassroots campaign of more than 1,000 organizations in 46 states representing 30 million people dedicated to winning quality, affordable health care we all can count on in 2010 and beyond.
Healthcare-NOW! is a grassroots organization that addresses the health insurance crisis in the U.S. by educating and advocating for the passage of single-payer healthcare legislation, such as HR 676. We support building the movement necessary to implement a publicly-funded, single-payer healthcare system that is universal, equitable, transparent, accountable, comprehensive, and that removes financial and other barriers to the right to health.
The Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care is a coalition of doctors, nurses and other health care providers; labor unions; nonprofit agencies; reform advocates and faith-based organizations working to achieve guaranteed comprehensive, high quality, and affordable health care coverage for everyone.
Physicians for a National Health Program is a single issue organization advocating a universal, comprehensive single-payer national health program. PNHP has more than 18,000 members and chapters across the United States.
