NPAF Advocates Call for Health Care Reform at Rep. Israel Town Hall |
|
On August 6th, 2009, several National Patient Advocate Foundation volunteer advocates who live in New York's 2nd district attended a community gathering arranged by Congressman Steve Israel to discuss challenges and solutions to America's health care system. The patient advocates who participated came with real life stories representing a myriad of frustrations all too common with today's system, including denied insurance claims, preexisting condition challenges, high out-of-pocket expenses, and caps on care. One such patient, Virginia from Central Islip was diagnosed with stage 3 uterine cancer in 2003. Her private insurance would not cover her participation in a treatment study and left her with more than $15,000 in medical debt. Unable to pay her mounting medical bills out-of-pocket, the medical center where Virginia received her treatment garnished her bank account, leaving her without access to her finances for weeks. |