How can this happen in a place of such wealth?
Tennessean
by Tim Chavez
09/26/05
One thought turned public sympathy into outrage over the abandoning of New Orleans' most vulnerable residents during Hurricane Katrina: How could this Third World-like tragedy be happening in the most powerful and affluent nation on the globe? And anger was further fueled by the realization that America has spent more than $200 billion and almost 2,000 lives to ensure better lives in Iraq. Now consider the same scenario here, set against the great wealth that abounds in the health-care industry. Yet our state is denying our most vulnerable citizens help to afford medicines to prolong lives while forcing others to emergency rooms for care that will bankrupt families. Many working poor Tennesseans are part of the 200,000 TennCare recipients being cut from the program. And several hundred thousand more Tennesseans -- including those described by the governor as the sickest -- have had the number of prescriptions covered by TennCare reduced to five. How can our state government expect diabetics to play Russian Roulette with their health, choosing between insulin and assorted medicines to address heart, stroke and kidney conditions besides ulcers on their feet? Skip one, and you're headed to hospital or morgue...
http://tinyurl.com/8tots
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
by Tim Chavez
09/26/05
One thought turned public sympathy into outrage over the abandoning of New Orleans' most vulnerable residents during Hurricane Katrina: How could this Third World-like tragedy be happening in the most powerful and affluent nation on the globe? And anger was further fueled by the realization that America has spent more than $200 billion and almost 2,000 lives to ensure better lives in Iraq. Now consider the same scenario here, set against the great wealth that abounds in the health-care industry. Yet our state is denying our most vulnerable citizens help to afford medicines to prolong lives while forcing others to emergency rooms for care that will bankrupt families. Many working poor Tennesseans are part of the 200,000 TennCare recipients being cut from the program. And several hundred thousand more Tennesseans -- including those described by the governor as the sickest -- have had the number of prescriptions covered by TennCare reduced to five. How can our state government expect diabetics to play Russian Roulette with their health, choosing between insulin and assorted medicines to address heart, stroke and kidney conditions besides ulcers on their feet? Skip one, and you're headed to hospital or morgue...
http://tinyurl.com/8tots
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
Starmail - 27. Sep, 11:18
