39 Year Old Man Joins Army for Health Care..Wife Has Cancer.

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56 days . . . 55 days . . . 54 days . . .

Chelsea Caudle began signing her text messages this summer with a countdown. At 14 years old, she knew no better way to express what was coming. Day Zero was to be Oct. 7, the day Dad left for Army basic training in Fort Jackson, S.C. He was moving 950 miles from their home in Watertown, 950 miles from Mom.

He was leaving, even though Mom was sick with ovarian cancer. Even though he had been at her side through two long, miserable rounds of chemotherapy. Even though she now faced the likelihood of a third.

In fact, Dad was leaving because Mom was sick.

In the greatest country in the world...why do we still have to make such a decision?

This looks like Health Care reform propoganda!

If nothing else everyone should see the real truth, ...
If he had a long standing job, or any idea of responsability, he would have had insurance from the git-go...

Not sure how long they been married?

There are 1000's of ppl in his same shoes with the exception, they never quit, or left their jobs!
Mostly due to ins. reasons, between FMLA and vacation, and an understanding boss, he would still be insured "no pre-existing condition"
and have plenty of extra time on his hands, that would not require him to inlist as a propoganda or media outlet for TPTB...

Srry for the rant.....I just can't stand for a subject such as this to look soooo misleading, "I know, they knew about their situation, before they got this far, out of bounds"

So basically yes we have to be responsable and yes we do have to make decisions like this!
But I'm fairly sure, the decision he made was to in-list, I'll bet that, if you ask him directly without media "as a friend would" he would tell you, which decision he regretted most, and it would be his previous mistakes that lead him to this out come!

reply to post by IconoclasticTalamasca


Whether the story is true or not, it shows that real reform is needed for heathcare. NOT the Obama plan, which will cost more, start rationing, and hurt those that truely need it.

Originally posted by mikerussellus
reply to post by IconoclasticTalamasca

 

Whether the story is true or not, it shows that real reform is needed for heathcare. NOT the Obama plan, which will cost more, start rationing, and hurt those that truely need it.

The final irony is that if y'all weren't busy fighting two wars, there'd be lots of dough for a universal health care system. So, your disposable tax dollar comes down to killing foreigners or saving Americans. Interesting choice of prioritizing.

Kind of like "The Gift of the Magi"...but with dead people.

reply to post by Doc Holiday

If he had a long standing job, or any idea of responsability, he would have had insurance from the git-go...

In March, he was laid off from his job as a raw materials coordinator for a plastics company called PolyOne, where he'd worked for 20 years.

He had twenty years in one job and he didn't leave it, he was laid off. And he had health insurance, btw.

I'll never understand this attitude of defending a broken system and blaming the ones that are screwed over by it.

But don't worry. I'm sure that nothing will ever happen to YOUR job/business/family/health.

WAIT. I thought you couldn't enlist after turning 33? only up to the age of 32.

Anybody else know?

reply to post by JohnnyCanuck


It's more complicated than that, Johnny. Obama's plan still won't cover @20 million people, and I'm talking about the latest bill (1500 pages) that they're trying to push through.

Simple reform would do the trick. But if you make it cheap and easy, then government won't be in control of it.

In all honesty, it's not about healthcare at all. It's about power, control, deciding what is best for us, basically a nanny state. Higher costs, fewer options, more rationing.

reply to post by Doc Holiday


Ever had a loved one close to you come down with terminal cancer?
Ever had to leave your job to take care of them because they cant take care of themselves?
Ever been rejected by an insurance company because your care method isnt covered?

I have. When my mother was dying, I had no choice but to leave my steady, insured, job to take care of her because she couldn't climb a flight of stair, walk to the bathroom, or climb out of bed without someone mirroring her movements.

You words are crass, and unsympathetic to those of us that are put in rough situations. Im sure the father in this case did whatever was necessary for his family and himself.

Walk a mile in our shoes before you rant.

"He had twenty years in one job and he didn't leave it, he was laid off. And he had health insurance, btw.

I'll never understand this attitude of defending a broken system and blaming the ones that are screwed over by it.

But don't worry. I'm sure that nothing will ever happen to YOUR job/business/family/health."

OOPsthe quote looks like I wrote it....srry


And from there he still had options, such as continuing his healthcare, COBRA ... its a federal law, part of basic worker rights.....

reply to post by Doc Holiday


He's unemployed now. His health insurance costs are over a thousand dollars a month now.

I have walked many miles in these shoes and am currently helping my grandmother, she's 83 and not in good shape.
My mother has breast cancer, and niether of them wish to loose any part of their current bene's to a different plan....
The latest plan we have seen or looked at cut most of the medical coverage to them at least to some degree.
I am sorry if I appear callused or mean, I do not want to sound bad or make others mad!

As far as 1000$ a month That might be the cost for his whole family to continue this, but just to keep the policy open for the minimal "existing condition" I would venture to question $ 1000 a month for just him/her.



[edit on 20-10-2009 by Doc Holiday]

Originally posted by mikerussellus
reply to post by IconoclasticTalamasca

 

Whether the story is true or not, it shows that real reform is needed for heathcare. NOT the Obama plan, which will cost more, start rationing, and hurt those that truely need it.

This is the part that most people ignore. The congressional democrats and the White House want you to believe that if you are not in support of their plan than you don't support health care reform.

I have to say they've done an outstanding job of pushing that propaganda.

Bottom line....all of their plans SUCK! they are absolutely about power grabbing and do not have our best interests at heart.

Originally posted by Doc Holiday

As far as 1000$ a month That might be the cost for his whole family to continue this, but just to keep the policy open for the minimal "existing condition" I would venture to question $ 1000 a month for just him/her.

[edit on 20-10-2009 by Doc Holiday]

Well it's actually $1370 a month and there's no such thing as a policy for minimal existing conditions. It's doubtful whether any company would even insure his wife now anyway.

Edit: Oh, I think you mean keep the policy active so the insurer can't deny them for pre-existing conditions. OK, but that would need to be his family plan @$1370 a month.

[edit on 10/20/2009 by mythatsabigprobe]

reply to post by mythatsabigprobe


Yes there is minimal coverage, he only needs to keep the coverage that would include her!
Not his childeren"unless they also have pre-existing conditions"

I myself payed for this from my accident in 1993 which keeps me from gettting coverage, if I change jobs... for many years!

Most "not all" CO.'s have a pollicy that is set up not to exclude pre-existing conditions, just that you have to work there for 12 months, before they will be covered......
And yes I have done this too, and yes they did cover the 1 st year after, my 12 months was up....Its just to keep ppl from raping private small bussiness owners such as myself.

In the greatest country in the world...why do we still have to make such a decision?

Well OBVIOUSLY your first mistake was in assuming that America was the greatest country in the world. If it was then this wouldnt be happening.

Doesnt surprise me at all. I'm actually surprised your still standing as a country. You do realize your a sneeze away from being a banana republic.

[edit on 20-10-2009 by TiM3LoRd]

reply to post by TiM3LoRd


I live here and yes, I think it is the greatest country in the world. That does not mean it lacks its share of problems, but I cannot think of anywhere else I would rather live. I am sure you love your country as well despite its flaws. They all have them.

****back on topic***

This man worked for twenty years and his wife continued to work even when ill. She has been fighting this disease since 2006. I could be wrong, but Cobra only lasts a couple years at the most. It just seems like more could/should be done so a family does not have to be pulled apart when the sick spouse is in the most need. no private insurers would take her...pre-existing condition. I hate that phrase. I think it has killed more people than quite a few diseases. I worked in Health Care Administration for over ten years. Horrible.

It is a really sick thing......

A man is forced to join the military to get healthcare for his wife.

What will happen to her and their daughter when he goes to Iraq or Afghanistan and dies???

Originally posted by mikerussellus
reply to post by JohnnyCanuck

 

It's more complicated than that, Johnny. Obama's plan still won't cover @20 million people, and I'm talking about the latest bill (1500 pages) that they're trying to push through.
Simple reform would do the trick. But if you make it cheap and easy, then government won't be in control of it.
In all honesty, it's not about healthcare at all. It's about power, control, deciding what is best for us, basically a nanny state. Higher costs, fewer options, more rationing.

Still...with all the money going to useless wars, You'd be able to offer a Cadillac plan for all your people. Why on earth should you be supporting a better plan for Iraq than for your own people? Further, I keep hearing the Eeyore excuse:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/549edfa9a015.jpg[/atsimg]

So demand better of your reps...where are the Republicans with their best plan to take care of your fellow Americans? If it can work here...not to perfection, but pretty damn good, then it can work for you. And if your reps don't do the job, then toss their raggedy arses out!

That's why our right-wing PM can't get a majority government...we keep telling Steve "No! Not good enough!"

It ain't that tough...lobbyists don't yet control the ballot boxes.

Originally posted by mrmonsoon
It is a really sick thing......

A man is forced to join the military to get healthcare for his wife.

What will happen to her and their daughter when he goes to Iraq or Afghanistan and dies???

This guy is an idiot. He did not think this through. He is going to leave his wife alone to face treatment. My mother in law died of ovarian cancer and it is not an easy fight. The wife will not be able to do squat during these treatments. Who is going to watch the kids? Instead of being there to help her he will be off fighting a war somewhere.

Most all ovarian cancer patients die in a year or two. Best they can do is extend life a little bit. So when she dies what are the kids going to do when he is off in Afghanistan or somehwere? A very poor decision for this gentleman although I do wish his family the best.

First off let me start by saying I personally know this gentleman. Bill and his family are great people. I sell vehicles here and he is a good customer of mine. It is sad to see that he has to do this just so that he can have insurance for his dying wife. They deserve better then this. How many of you could actually up and do this at the age of 39 after being in the same place for 20 years? How many of you can afford to pay almost $1400 a month for health insurance after losing your job? Losing your job not leaving your job. How many of us would have the guts, the fortitude, the sheer will power to go through with this?

You may say he is stupid for leaving his wife alone during bootcamp. What about not going and losing health insurance and having to watch her surely die because they can't afford care?

Think of the example he is showing his children. No matter what life throws at you there are solutions. He found one and people have the gall to bash on Bill because of this. Just wrong. This had to have been a VERY HARD desicion to go thru with.I have been in boot camp. I am currently 36 years old and I am not sure I could make it thru boot capm again at this age, much less at the age of 39.

We all sit here and talk about how this or that needs to happen but very few of us take those steps to make things happen. Bill is one of those few individuals that took that very difficult step to make it happen. Sure it might not be changing America or our government but I haven't seen many people who are capable of doing "whatever it takes". Bill is one who did.

So before you go bashing on a gentleman who is doing everything he can to provide the best he can for his family...please take a long look in the mirror and ask yourself if you could take ALL steps necessary to ensure you and your loved ones are looked after.

I admire him for what he is doing. The sheer strength that he and his lovely wife are showing is just awe inspiring.

For the record this is a true story. No propaganda, no B.S. 100% real life folks. A true example of doing whatever it takes.