This Is Not Acceptable

The letters to the editor in today's Star Tribune contained a good but very sad example of why this country needs at least the Affordable Care Act, but more clearly a single-payer system:

Health Care Policy
Here’s the ultimate cost of facing a coverage choice you didn’t seek

The devastating effects of not having health insurance are unquestionable. Our oldest son had epilepsy, a condition that is seldom fully under control even with the newest medications. Nevertheless, with treatment, some are able to at least reduce the effects of the seizures and function well in life. Our son was employed and had insurance through his employer for many years, but he lost that job due to changes in the workplace, and he decided to return to school to improve his qualifications for employment in another field.

When our son left his position, he kept his insurance through COBRA coverage. My wife and I paid for this insurance, which was costly, but it was better to do that than for him to be without coverage. As my son approached the end of the COBRA period, he applied to the state for MinnesotaCare. He was rejected for being over income because he was employed under a student work-study program and they projected his income as if he were working full time throughout the year. This left our son with no coverage, and without that coverage, he quit taking his medications. He couldn’t afford them. This contributed to his having a strong seizure during the night, and the convulsions put him in a physical position where he passed away from asphyxiation.

Our son did not want to be a burden on us or others, but the fact is that he could not afford insurance without help. It’s easy for some to say it is not their job to provide medical coverage to those who do not have it. Some even characterize it as stealing.

I ask everyone to consider: Should anyone die because they don’t have insurance? It’s projected that more than 20 million will lose their coverage if current proposals are put in place. Personally, I think a single-payer system is the answer, but whatever the chosen solution, we need to take some action that provides coverage for all, no matter their station in life.

Mark Anderson, Ramsey

Should anyone die because the don't have insurance? Especially if they wanted insurance but couldn't afford it? And what's up with the way Minnesota assessed his eligibility for MinnesotaCare? That's completely wrong.

I'm very sorry the Andersons lost their son to the stupidity of this country. This is the kind of death sentence favored by the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

It is not acceptable.