As we start 2010, let’s take a moment to remember the latest victim of the US profits-before-healthcare mantra. This time we lost someone fairly high profile, who died on Christmas day while $70,000 in debt to an Athens, Georgia hospital that had placed a lien on his house. He was supposed to be insured. Then we’ll add a bit of needed levity courtesy of a former self-described insurance industry ‘spokesjerk’ – you can actually tell him where to go.
Vic Chesnutt, a folk-rocker with low-level quadriplegia due to a car accident at age 18 (his arms were partially functional, allowing him to play the guitar), died of an apparently deliberate overdose. He was 45. Chesnutt got his big break when Michael Stipe of R.E.M. discovered him and produced his first two albums. In 1996 the tribute album Sweet Relief II featured covers of his songs performed by none other than Madonna, Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, Indigo Girls, and more. Ironically, it was precisely because Chesnutt chose to be a productive member of society, cutting 16 albums and inspiring thousands, that he was prevented from acquiring comprehensive health insurance.
He chose to fight his disability, and found a way to play guitar with only two working fingers. Because he could now earn some income, the government did not consider him to be disabled, meaning he was not eligible for Medicare. No other options were available to him either, because Vic was uninsurable in the individual market. Darn quadriplegic. His only group insurance came during his stint with Capitol Records. After that he opted for $500-a-month COBRA. When that ran out, the only coverage he could get was hospitalization insurance. Sometimes this coverage includes all hospital costs but not physician services and medications, other times it only covers room and board.
Unsurprisingly, Chesnutt was an outspoken critic of US healthcare. Still, he had no idea what to expect after two needed surgeries. Despite his insurance paying $100,000, he was sent bills for $35,000, then $50,000, then $70,000. For what, he wasn’t sure. He was a musician, not a healthcare expert. Still, he made payments until he couldn’t afford to anymore, at which point the hospital demanded payment in full. Then it filed suit against him, putting a lien on his house. The sheriff came by and tacked the notice on his door.
His Canadian bandmates couldn’t comprehend how his situation was possible in a civilized country. As he said in November, "They do feel for me, but it's something that blows their minds; there's nowhere else in the world that I'd be facing the situation I'm in right now. They cannot understand what kind of society would inflict that on their population. It's terrifying." Worse, he knew he needed more surgeries. “It seems absurd they can charge this much,” he said. “I could die tomorrow because of other operations I need that I can't afford. I could die any day now, but I don't want to pay them another nickel."
Chesnutt was admittedly a tortured genius – he attempted suicide 3-4 times through his 20’s. But depressed though he was, he soldiered on for his love of music, until US healthcare put him over the edge. Friend and filmmaker Jem Cohen put it in perspective: “Vic's death, just so you all know, did not come at the end of some cliché downward spiral. He was battling deep depression but also at the peak of his powers, and with the help of friends and family he was in the middle of a desperate search for help. The system failed to provide it." RIP, Vic, I’m sorry US healthcare failed you.
At least one of the industry’s ‘spokesjerks’ admits it. This fun video features Andy Cobb, former Blue Cross Blue Shield pitchman, telling you the truth about the US health insurance industry. Because of that, he’s obviously fired. So tell him where he should work his spokesjerk powers next. Thanks to Change.org Martin for reminding me of this enduring skewerfest.
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