Well, I opened a can of worms with religion, so I might as well tackle present another hot topic, health care reform in the United States. Part two of a series from Austin Considine called Faces of American Health Care features a sobering look at former pro skater Lee Bender.
Number two in a multi-part series: From the heartland, a look at a few of the real people adversely affected by our health care system today. Part two looks at Lee Bender, a former pro skater who was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Despite comparatively good coverage he faces over $36,000 in debt for treatment over the last 18 months.
According to the World Health Organization, health care in the United States ranks 37th in the world, based on quality and access, among other things. Skateboarders take a risk every time they skate. Insurance or lack of, is in the back of many of the minds of skaters who are living on their own. I’m not sure how to do it, but our health care system definitely needs reform. Health insurance is a racket and costs are out of control.
– Thanks to Max Macias via Facebook for the tip.
Faces of American Health Care, Part 2: Former Pro Skater, Lee Bender
8 comments
netposer
Sad story but I don’t see how a gov’t run health care system would be any better without changing the system first.
He could get help paying for his meds if he can’t afford them.
He’s also wrong about stem cell research. There’s plenty of private companies working on that but he somehow doesn’t like greed which drives these types of research companies. Nobody is going to invest billions of dollars in stem cell research if they don’t get a return on their investment.
It’s a double-edged sword and sometimes it sucks.
So the gov’t should fix health care instead of trying to run health care. Tort reform, less rules and regulations for doctors and insurance companies etc….
person
We are the only post industrial nation without nationalized health care.
SCphotog
The numbers we’re getting.. the stats on USA’s healthcare are mostly wrong. The percentages don’t add up. There are lies, damned lies and then there are statistics and polls. Don’t believe them.
The health care situation is goobed up, no doubt there but folks tend to not see the real problems facing the system. The cost of healthcare is the result of greed on the part of the insurance companies and Doctors together. Combine that with the ridiculousness of the laws concerning Doctors and malpractice and you really start to see how FUBAR it all really is.
Again though, don’t buy into those numbers about healthcare and how it fares in different countries… the “rankings” are bogus.
I wish there was something we could say is a real figure but at present I don’t believe it exists.
Props and good tidings for Lee. Wish him the best of luck.
Jesus Crust
Its almost like getting a life sentence without committing a crime!
So sad.
Stay strong lee.
Politics , Religion and money are one and the same.
Damnit!
kc
That is a sad story. I was wondering about Lee the just other day. I miss skating with you Lee.
I can’t comprehend what he’s going thru. To be that sick, have skating taken away from you and have to deal with all that insurance crap.
I hope our country can get this healthcare thing figured out soon.
JAKEANDANNOY
Yeah,Single payer system sounds fine to me, lets just agree on something for Christ-sakes.
I got Kaiser and I have to go thru a process that makes waterboarding sound easy just to get an appointment and THEEEN, I still wait for 20-minutes! And the worst part is if I decide to not stare at my lap for a half-hour, it’s a double edge sword of the same fuckin quit-smoking pamphlet OR some faggy magazine about dollhouses or something. Which is fine for grandma, but I look like John-Mark Karr or some shit just sifting through that pile for something to read. Its tough, my life is worse than the holocaust.
Eric Cherry
I’ve broken over 40 bones skateboarding, most of it without insurance. I’d have to go to the city hospital and get substandard care cause I couldn’t afford what I was in for.
Not that the doctors at the city hospital do a bad job, not at all… you start having to get cheap with your own services. “I’m gonna have to deny a second x-ray, no pain killers, and I’ll bring my own crutches from home… I won’t be able to afford it”.
Cause what else in life do you go in to get a service, and not even get an estimate? I wouldn’t take my car to a shop to get worked on if there wasn’t sort of estimation offered, nor would I willingly get a transmission flush, new brake fluid, rotate tires, turn a rotors, etc, etc, etc and then just get a massive bill without a clue what’d it’d cost.
But that’s healthcare here… if you don’t ask what you’re getting, how necessary a test/procedure is, you can get hammered without insurance.
Best health care in the world… if you can afford it. Blue Cross for WASPs.
Gnarles Copinghagen
Insurance for me, my wife, and our baby is 1000 dollars+ per month. If my boss wasn’t awesome only the baby would have health insurance because we wouldn’t be able to afford it. Enough said. Our system is fucked up. I’ve had friends who lived out of the country for periods of time and when they got sick they spent zero dollars, and didn’t have to wait for treatment. That sounds pretty good when the shit hits the fan with your health.