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Health Care Horror Stories: Melody Townsel |
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At Netroots Nation yesterday, we ran into Melody Townsel, who has a horrifying story of her ordeal with her health insurance company that she kindly shared with us. Watch it:
You heard that right. Townsel’s insurance company declined to cover her daughter’s hospital bills because of her daughter’s "attempted suicide." Her daughter was two years old. Only after five appeals did Townsel force her insurance company to provide the coverage she deserved from the start.
It doesn’t take much to realize the silliness of the insurance company’s argument. These kinds of stories - more common than many realize - illustrate how badly our health care system is broken. Insurance companies have an incentive to deny coverage and boost their profits whenever they can, even if their reasoning defies logic. Though the insurance industry claims it’s in the business of making people healthy, they routinely deny coverage at every turn. And it’s all perfectly legal and acceptable.
This is wrong.
Hard working people in America should have a right to health care, health care that covers their illnesses and doesn’t make excuses to boost profits. Quality, affordable health care should be a right in America. That’s what Health Care for America Now is fighting for. With your help, we’ll make stories like Townsel’s a thing of the past.
(also posted at the NOW! blog)
