Permanently Disabled at Age 46 Because Insurance Refused to Pay for MRI

Carol Black - Cleveland, OH

"My medical problems started in 1998, but I wasn't diagnosed for five years" begins Carol Black of Cleveland, Ohio. "My doctor at the time wanted to do an MRI of my spine, because my symptoms mimicked those of multiple sclerosis. The MRI was denied by the insurance company, who claimed my symptoms were not severe enough to warrant the test.

"Instead of MS, it turned out I had a severe spine problem called splondolythesis. In the meantime, as I was waiting for a diagnosis the nerves in my spine were being compressed and I now have permanent nerve damage. I am 46 and permanently disabled. Because the insurance company wouldn't pay for that test, my life is ruined forever.

"I am now covered exclusively by Medicare—my husband's insurance would not allow me to use them as a secondary insurance to help defray the costs of only having Medicare. My husband is now having health problems and his insurance has a $5,000 deductible, so here we go again.

"We don't want anything that we don't deserve. We want affordable healthcare and not to have to use grocery money to get my pain meds every month. My husband has worked at least two to three jobs at one time for the last 10 years because of medical bills.The good old USA isn't a very good place to be if you're ill."

Read stories like this every day through Election Day  at: www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org

Sponsored by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee

Eighty-two percent of Americans think the U.S. healthcare system should be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt (Commonwealth Fund, Aug. 7, 2008). America's nurses know that only single-payer, improved and expanded Medicare for all will fix our broken system and the tragedy of our devastated families. HR 676, by U.S. Rep John Conyers, is the most comprehensive, cost effective way to achieve guaranteed healthcare for all.

For more information, or to contact this patient: Liz Jacobs, RN 510/273-2232.