Jimmy Kimmel Fights Back Against Bill Cassidy, Lindsey Graham & Chris Christie

Isn't The Inquirer or New York?

So the article's writer brings up a decent point about children born with a condition being covered under their parents' insurance. And that's true. The insurance holder (the parent) doesn't have the pre-existing condition, it's the child that now falls under the insurance. The problem comes later, when the child is no longer a child and moves off their parents' insurance plan, and to their own. Now, it's their insurance policy and their pre-existing condition as an insurance holder, and the insurance companies don't want to take that bet on how much money they stand to make on the person's good health. That's been a problem with a number of my friends. It would be a problem with me, as well, except that I don't need health insurance anymore.

The writer also points out (correctly) that hospitals are obligated to care for "life-threatening illnesses regardless of a patient's insurance status". True. But there's also a phrase, "Treat 'em and street 'em". Not because of the doctors, but because of the executive board... the bare minimum possible, then kick the patient to the curb because that bed's needed for a paying customer.

Is Kimmel completely right? No. Neither is the article writer. I do trust the medical associations dedicated to helping people more than I trust the politicians pushing a bill forward. At least when it comes to matters of health care. But I still don't trust them 100%, either. Do I think Obamacare is good? Hell no, that bill's got so many problems, it should just be taken off life support. But we need to be doing better, not worse, about helping people who are sick. It might even require a complete overhaul of the medical industry, top to bottom. But there is no reason that people should be going bankrupt because of needed medical care. There's no one that can possible excuse that.

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How many bankruptcies occur as a singular result of medical bills? Even now, under the ACA they still occur. A fund for covering catastrophic medical costs can be set up for those few that do. If it's the result of poor money management, other arrangements should be made. Good article here.

http://amjmed.org/under-aca-medical-bankruptcy-continues/