LA hospital threatened with closure

CNN recently covered the story of Edith Isabel Rodriguez, who died in the ER of a large LA hospital, even after the family phoned 911 from the lobby of the hospital, begging for help as Edith died on the floor of the ER waiting room. The story reminded me of two visits to a hospital on the Eastern Shore of Maryland when my mother called 911 after my father collapsed during his cancer treatment. Both times the process was painfully delayed as the hospital insisted upon clarifying his health insurance program. He survived both visits, thankfully, though the process triggered enormous stress for my mother and could have endangered his survival. At the time I wondered just how common this was so after following the CNN story, I see that it's common enough.

This story again brings me to my own personal experiences with the health plan in France that the GOP likes to kick around so often. Years ago I was taken to an ER in France and the first thing they did, as treat me and the financial aspects were addressed afterwards. A shocking idea for a hospital, isn't it? Last autumn I had a similar ER experience as an elderly friend in France had to be rushed to the hospital. In both cases, the costs for treatment were dramatically less expensive than what I witness in the US and the actual cost to me was very little, free for my war veteran friend. Navigating bills in France is also a lot easier, not to mention much faster.

Regulators in LA are now considering closing the hospital but again, while extreme, I wonder if such offensive treatment is as limited as some would have us believe. Haven't we all had poor experiences with the modern health care system in the US? Michael Moore has a very valid point in "Sicko" that this is a problem that impacts everyone, Democrats and Republicans alike, East Coast to West Coast and all points in between. As my dad (who was a Republican) used to say, until politicians in Washington have to live with the same miserable health care as the rest of the country, nothing will change. There was recently had a politician out west who lived on food stamps briefly, but to date, I can't remember anyone in politics trying to live through a family health crisis with the same health care as an average American. Let's see who is willing to take on the wrath of Big Health/Big Pharma after "Sicko" reignites this simmering issue.