In an exclusive interview on Friday, PoliticsNation’s Rev. Al Sharpton spoke to the newest face of Obamacare, a woman whose sister died of cancer because she didn’t have health care. Stephanie Miller met President Obama on Thursday during his bus tour, where she got a chance to tell him what the legislation means to her. She explained to Rev. Al that her sister couldn’t afford insurance, and she earned too much to qualify for Medicare.
Rev. Al asked Miller what she said to the president.
“I told him thank you for not backing down on your health care bill. I told him my sister passed away on July 4, 2008 from colon cancer because she didn’t have health care…I truly believe that if a bill like President Obama’s had been in effect 5 or 10 years ago, my sister could’ve went to the doctor, she could have gotten preventative health care. They could’ve detected the cancer early, it’s one of the most curable cancers there is. She could still be here with her kids.”
She said Obama offered his condolences and asked her sister’s name, saying he’d keep her in his thoughts every day. Sharpton asked Miller what she wants to come from all this attention.
“I want people to see what the lack of health care does to families in this country. Not a day goes by that we don’t think about my sister. Not a day goes by that her sons don’t miss her. No family should have to go through this just because there’s not affordable health care in this country. We have one of the best medical care systems in the world…nobody should have to do this.”
“We can’t lose sight of what it’s all about: helping real people,” Rev. Al agreed. While stories like Miller’s continue to surface, several Republican lawmakers are sticking to their commitment to reject Obamacare and its Medicaid expansion, despite clear evidence that their state’s most vulnerable citizens will suffer the harshest consequences.
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Maybe a lot of us fall here...don't qualify for one and can't get another.
That's what the repulican see the truth
What do you do for a person who can't get health care because of a pre-existing condition. What does a family do for a child who can't get health because of a pre existing condition? How can hospitals be asked to bare the brunt of health care for
uninsured people who can't pay? Everyone needs health care and with this
plan it is affordable. If we all get it then the price will go down for all of
us. Yesterday we got a direct deposit from our health insurance company because
they didn't spend 80% of the premiums on health care and it was roughly
$230.00. Thats right a refund from an insurance company because they
technically charged me too much. That is incredible! Now I am a republican but
the main reason republicans dont like the law is because it hurts corporate
profits and I choose people over profits!
This is disgusting... using your a dead relative as a political move. Say that the proper healthcare would have saved her, not that Obama is our savior and everyone should support him. No surpise that al-sharpton is involved; those people are UNSCRUPULOUS when it comes to supporting what they think advances the Black race... which I am not against, because somebody has to do that work. Why isn't CHARITY the answer? And not GOVERNMENT? Europeans are normally asking "when is the government going to do this for me?" and AMericans are asking "when is the government going to leave me alone!?" ... We should keep it that way, because engrossed federal government is the road to economic collapse. we can see that from Europe. The short answer is, RON PAUL
When one is dying of cancer one should not have to beg for medical care and rely on the kindness of strangers. You are living proof of that. I beg to differ with the article because I believe even if she had private insurance they would have found a way to deny her care early on just to make a profit. Or recission (dumping longtime customers when they become ill) which thankfully the new regulations have eliminated.
Wow, do you really feel that way. How about Romney care in Mass. 98% of the population there now has affordable health insurance. Tell me why that is so bad? They still have to pay but hopefully it will lower costs for everyone and stop these insurance companies from profiting off our illnesses. Stop watching Faux News so much and listen to other opinions.
Thanks for the info. I didn't know that charity gives out affordable health insurance policies. Thanks again. I'm really going to try to get a new affordable health care insurance from my nearest charity. Thanks you may have saved my life with this suggestion.
Thank GOD what goes around comes around, I pray it does not happen to you!
Healthcare doesn't cure cancer. Our country's healthcare system never has placed an emphasis on preventative care. That would be found in our everyday dietary and personal maintenance programs. After moving aside the smoke and mirrors of America's healthcare facade, it is evident that access to healthcare means access to chemical and radiation treatments. These have not been found to cure cancer. Obamacare will not save you or me. Once we step away from all of our heart-wrenching stories, we have to realize that in America, healthcare and medicine are borne of a competitive and capitalistic structure. How are you going to take thousands of healthcare professionals out of their right to compete in a free marketplace and force them under government control during a time our government is overspent and overdrawn? Obamacare is not free - it is a forced taxation on even the healthiest of Americans...those of us who remain healthy despite swearing off traditional medical treatments in this country. This supposed "gift" to the American public is looking like a trojan horse to me. We need solutions - but not this one. Vote in November.
Thanks for your suggestion. I didn't know that preventive screening was a waste of money. Maybe if I don't have access to preventive screening this will save my life. Thanks again. You are great.
ole al.. never known him to use a white person to prove his point...the only reason he is now,, is to try and get the white vote for obama. he doesn't give a dam about that womans sister,,,obama doesn't care about that womans sister,,,just her vote. sickening how all of a sudden obama cares about people personally... white people that is. at one point i thought obama would bring all the races together,,,and we could all be just americans,,,, boy was i wrong.
Oh oh, if a lot of white people are saved by good health care, then Obama might get elected. I guess then that if I don't like Obama, I should hope a lot of white people die from lack of heath care. Yeah that will insure that Obama doesn't get elected. We will be saved if a lot of white people die. Oh, of course those white people that die won't be saved.
Another leftist crap article;
The woman died of colon cancer, not lack of health care. There is ZERO guarantee ANY health insurance could have saved her life as it is not health insurance that cures cancer, but treatment for the cancer when it is caught in time.
The woman and the article assume that the cancer would have been detected in time if the woman had been receiving some sort of screening...
Yet it does not address several factors, such as what caused the cancer in the first place. Is there a family history of cancer? What reason would a doctor have to recommend a colon screening? I could go on, but why...?
CRAP...you guys at MSNBC really need to get your head out of Obama's....colon.
If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.- Charles Darwin.
How long do we want to continue in this country living the lie about there still being a middle class? There isn't in the past 20 years middle class income has NOT increased while cost of living went up. The 400 richest people in the country, the billionaires of Forbes list have more than 1 trillion of wealth.
2010 Census figures:
15,749,129-poor children (21.6% of population)
# in extreme poverty 7,023,152 ( 9.6%)
5.3 million children impacted in SUBURBIA by foreclosures from 2007-2009. They are the new poor collecting SNAP
and fighting for healthcare
28% from 2007-2011 homeless families increased 37,000 homes
Share of total wealth the top 5% earned between 40.2-41.5% more wealth ...next %% 10.2%, next 10% 9.8%. the middle class -7.5%
The middle class has funded basically every social services program since the Marshall Plan yet today they are being threatened with " If you start raising hell about this ( losing your home, SNAP, job losses and asking for entitlements....ha entitlements? The middle class funded those too! You'll get nothing and end up poor. LOL Guess where the middle class is? Stop being in denial! Stop listening to the lies they tell when they release the jobs reports. Stop listening to the political spin put on in Washington and start calling those politicians and tell them they're going to be joining you as you vote them out of office on both sides of the political divide in November. Dems and Republicans-it is the economy and jobs stupid!It's time America politicians got their well feathered asses to work. England has the greatest divide in Parliament, yet those guys are working across party lines for the sake of their country-Tory and Labor. Stop pandering to the extremism and do what's best for the country. Follow California's lead in making banks refinance mortgages they over-inflated to today's market levels and help people keep their homes. Pass the measure that stops an employer from not giving a job to someone whose credit record is bad from this mess and give them the job if they are qualified.That bill is STALLED on Capitol Hill. Call those bastards up!Get it passed. Get the law passed that stops employers from saying if you don't have a job they will not let you apply for one.That's crazy as well. Californians we need to lead again and pass measures like this to protect Californians since Capitol HIll isn't interested in this country just their jobs! Maybe common sense can be common again in America!
Too bad that politicians are guaranteed healthcare and pension benefits for life, even if they are voted out of office....Point taken, but too bad it doesn't cost them a little more when their greed costs them their job.
It's too bad they won't really be joining us, because even if we vote them out of office they will still have healthcare, paid for by the taxpayer, and a pension, funded by our tax dollars. However, it will cost them all that special interest and lobbyist money that they get, so I guess technically their income will be downgraded somewhat if we vote them out of office.
Healthcare! The middle class funded that since it's inception as well to those who could not afford it. We sold war bonds to fund wars. Where was the top 5% in buying them over the past 10 years? Saving up for their rainy day funds. Wars funded on the backs of the middle class...wake up !
If you don't have your health you can't work, if you can't work you end up poor or dead. Stop playing to your political diatribes and wake up! A healthy country is a country that can go to work. Healthcare helps cure the diseases that place families in debt /bankruptcy or on the streets.
erikms, you really think charity can cover all healthcare emergencies? Let me give you an example. My church had a fundraiser for a member battling breast cancer with no insurance. We raised about $1200. That was just a drop in the bucket of what it costs for cancer treatment. Seriously, wake up and smell the reality.
And who is doing any fundraisers at all, for those who don't belong to a church?