Watching a family member battle cancer is hard. In the past few years, I’ve watched my husband’s grandfather lose, my son win and now my father is fighting round two. During the Lance Armstrong yellow bracelet craze, my son was diagnosed with Wilm’s Tumor. He was two-years-old.
Until today, I never realized Armstrong fought cancer without health insurance. Health insurance wasn’t an issue for my family but I wonder about patients I saw in the infusion room. As if fighting the disease didn’t cause enough stress, I can’t imagine worrying about paying for cancer treatment.
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I don’t know which way is better but even though my son’s treatment was paid for by the insurance company… we paid about 30k a year for health insurance back then. Now we go with the high deductible.
I have been without insurance for almost 3 years. I was in the middle of changing my plan when my lung collapsed and I was diagnosed with a rare lung disease and emphysema. I had temporary insurance but after it expired, I could not get coverage from anyone. “Pre-existing” condition.
Anything I had done while with the temp insurance was initially covered but then denied. I now have approx. 50k in unpaid doctors bills.
Armstrong may have fought cancer without insurance…. but he also has millions. In 3 years without coverage… and an average of $500 a month in doctor visits and medication…. I am officially broke. I have gone through every penny of my savings.
It really is a shame… I’ve said this before… Mom’s side of family has been here since 1699. I have had family members fight in every major conflict since the Revolution. Grandfather was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart during WWII. Yet here I sit without decent coverage and have been run into the ground.
Only in America…..