On April 25, Diogenes published a post titled "Inhumane Humana" about a Type I diabetic friend of his who was being victimized by the Humana health insurance company who refused to bill her insulin to the appropriate part of Medicare, which would have saved her a great deal of money. The friend's name was fictitious, but the story was true to the last detail, and was unfolding as he wrote it.
Now comes a similar story to us, this one from a friend of mine, both on Facebook and in real life. Her husband has chronic lung disease not caused by any bad habit like smoking or drugs, and not from working in a risky profession. It's just from one of those unfortunate rolls of the dice that Nature sometimes throws at us. Like Dio's friend, he requires expensive medications to remain healthy--indeed to live--which are placed out of his family's financial reach by the pharmaceutical industry's limitless greed and insistence on pricing critical medications beyond the buying power of most American people.
Her story appears below verbatim, edited only slightly for paragraph structure and punctuation.
"This is long, but please read. My husband and I have been personally affected by Trump policies. And so have you, but you might not even know it.
"In January I picked up one of Nick's meds at the pharmacy. It was $742.58 for a one month supply. Because I have a separate deductible for my prescription end of my insurance I had to pay the whole thing. It is considered not on the approved list even though there is no generic for it and until I reach the deductible I had to pay full price. Great! But it gets better.
"I went back in February to get that month's supply and the clerk tells me it is now $1104.36! Really!? I asked why and was told it had to do with the manufacturer and I should call my insurance. She was very nice and understanding and I know this is not the pharmacy's fault. I went home and called my insurance and after my running around calling this one and that one I spoke to a girl who told me this: She said the price of the medicine had gone up and then she said, 'I am not sure what your political affiliation is, but this is why. One of the first regulations that Trump lifted after he came into office was rules on drug regulations ( or prices) for the drug companies. Obama had kept them in check for 8 years. They were not allowed to increase cost more than 20% without government regulation. Trump's lift of that particular regulation gave them free rein to increase the cost at their whim.'
"And who do you think were some of his biggest supporters in this election? You got it: the pharmaceutical companies. Remember that promise to lower medicine cost? Well, we are proof that was just a lie. Plain and simple. I don't usually share my business or struggles like this, but people need to be aware of this. This man has NOT got anyone's interest in mind except his and his ego's.
"It didn't take me long to reach that prescription deductible (3 months), but even after that burden I still have to pay a copay for that medicine of $70 per month. You may think that's not bad, but that is one of 10 medicines my husband has to take. I have become an expert at robbing Peter to pay Paul. But I shouldn't have to be. I work and pay a horrible premium for insurance that is lousy. This is making America great again? Tell that to my husband when he can't breathe.
"Now you know someone who is been directly affected by this healthcare mess. I am your friend, your neighbor, your father, mother, grandparent, child, sister, brother, family, coworker. I work next to you every day. I struggle and I am not alone. I am not afraid to work and pay my way. I have been at the same job for 36 years and have never been on welfare. I am you. You could be us at any moment. Always remember that. I hope you stay healthy for as long as you can and never walk in our shoes. But if you do, I will be right there with you.
"People need to be aware this man is dangerous for this country at the very least."
In January of 1898 the writer Emile Zola published "J'Accuse . . .!", an indictment of the French president and government for complicity in the unjust imprisonment of Alfred Dreyfus. Zola was found guilty of libel and had to leave the country for several months, but was ultimately vindicated and Dreyfus was set free.
We need a Zola now to openly and forcefully accuse the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries for crimes against the American people, including not only perpetuating chronic illnesses, but also for indirectly causing the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of our citizens. And Trump is indeed complicit.
--Richard Brown
U.S. Constitution
The bedrock of the United States of America