The below article was in the Rocky Mountain News in Colorado in 2004. I bring this story to you because it is still a ongoing situation. I am back working again with the City of Denver and has had 2 major surgeries. I still need more medical attention. Thank God for my persistence and I didn't give up. Some people are not as lucky. Please read. I hope Obama and his wife will read what I went through to help others like myself. We also need to educate of what "Marriage" is all about. Marriage is sacred and nobody thinks it that way. Attitude of Marriage for example: You gain weight so I need to trade you in for a new model! In matter of fact they don't tell you, they just do it. Read below.
Recently a Rocky Mountain newspaper reporter took interest in a story about Darlene Jones and it was printed in the May 1st issue. We are hoping that others take the interest in this delicate situation.
We're writing this letter in support of one of our very close friend name Darlene Jones. Ms Jones is presently working but making minimal wage and has a renal tumor at the lower pole and a possible Renal Mass in her right kidney and several small cysts on both kidneys. Every-time she ends up in the emergency room because of the problems stemming from her kidneys; they request Ms Jones to see a Specialist. Due to Ms Jones' financial status she can't afford to see the renal specialist to get the proper care she needs. All doors are closing on her at this moment. Darlene tried to buy health insurance however due to most health insurance companies won't insure a person if they have pre-existing conditions or the cost of the coverage is extremely high for someone who is unemployed. Darlene has also applied for Medicaid and the indigent program in Denver Colorado from what we understood her condition has to be critical. Darlene was told that she needs a biopsy to find out if the possible renal mass is an actual renal mass and the cysts are cancerous. Due to her not having any health insurance Darlene doesn't know in what stages or how critical her condition is. Darlene Jones needs help in getting some type of coverage and we volunteer to help her by writing a letter to you or anyone that is listening. Ms Jones was told if she has an existing problem but hasn't been diagnosed NO insurance company will insure her. Than yet NO specialist will see her to diagnose her because she lacks medical insurance. This is a double standard and I feel for everyone that has gone through this. Does this make sense? We're asking congress to please help Ms Jones and others who are going through this unfortunate situation to come up with something that will help. Indigent programs are only good for routine visits. One of the hospital representatives stated, "Cancer patients can't see a medical oncologist without some type of medical coverage". Senator Bob Hagedorns’ office has confirmed with the hospital in Denver that the above statement was indeed true. I ask, how many USA citizens have died or will die because of this? An insurance company stated to me that the Government couldn’t control how they run the insurance companies. Is this true? Thousands of people are without jobs in this economic time and without medical insurance. Some of these people have pre-existing conditions. Some of these people cannot afford the Cobra program that is set up with their previous jobs. Most of the people that are unemployed are senior citizens and this is a tragedy in its own-self. We protect the children and we forget about the senior citizens. What has the future hold for any of us when we get to the age where people don't want to hire you because of your age and you can't prove it but you need to work just to have that medical insurance? It is easy to get insurance or Medicaid if you have children living with you. God Forbid if you don't have any children living with you like Ms Jones. What than? What happens to citizens like Darlene Jones and others in her situation? Ms Jones states “I have nightmares at night, thinking that my Death Certificate will read “Death due to No Medical Insurance”. We are reaching out for help Ms. Jones and others like her in need of medical attention. President hopeful Senator John Kerry has voiced his concerns on Health Insurance but what about “pre-existing” conditions? Health Insurance Companies shouldn’t turn down citizens that have beginnings of what could be a critical or one who has advance critical pre-existing condition. These citizens should have the right to have medical insurance no matter what existing conditions they have and be able to have affordable insurance. Did you know a “kidney stone” is a pre-existing condition and insurance companies are turning clients away because of it. I ask you ladies and gentlemen could this be a beginning of what you may call or define as a "legal homicide" (death sentence) within our society? Did the government/society find a way to get rid of the baby boomers? As a citizen of these United States I am compelled to say "I feel very ashamed that Health Insurance Companies now control the doctors’ oath “May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help”. Help what help when citizens are being turned away for not having medical insurance. What happened to hospitals that have policies in place and states "no patient will be turned away no matter what their injuries are?" True as Ms Jones found out, the hospital won’t turn you away and will treat you but not fully treat and in the interim they suggest that you seek a specialist. What good is a specialist if you can't see them because you can't get medical insurance companies to insure you?
There should also be a law in place that husbands/wives who abandon their spouse while they are sick forcing them to pay for medical insurance until the spouse either remarries or dies.
We implore that this situation not be ignored and pre-existing conditions be investigated within the Medical Insurance policies and procedures along with affordable health insurance for senior citizens without children and single persons with devastating sicknesses, thank you in advance for taking the time out to read this letter.
