How Far Would You Go for Health Insurance?

Emily posted on Friday, March 30th, 2012 | Uncategorized

While the Supreme Court heard arguments today over the health insurance mandate, Radio Netherlands, of all shops, sent this story our way. CODE RED is an essay written and read by Kairol Rosenthal, a dancer and choreographer from Chicago. Kairol was diagnosed with a complex case of thyroid cancer when she was 27. In this piece — now in rotation on Public Radio Remix — Kairol describes the 100 hours she spent lying to the government and insurance agencies in order to cover her treatment.

Check out her story:

image from Radio Netherlands

1 Comment to How Far Would You* Go for Health Insurance?*

Anonymous Schemer Number 2
March 31, 2012

Though my situation is less serious than Rosenthal’s, I can relate. I am not insured through my job and I was rejected by all the major health insurers in my state because of a condition caused by a disease that half of the US population is thought to have. I don’t have cancer, I have an abnormal pap, low grade mutations of cervical cells caused by HPV. Yes, in 15-20 years, this can develop into cancer, but it usually goes away. Straight men only extremely rarely get anything worse than warts from HPV. I wonder if there was some equivalent of an abnormal pap for men, if the insurers would treat the condition differently.

Because of an odd set of circumstances, I was able to lie and get approved for a government health insurance program with a reasonable premium.

I appreciate Rosenthal sharing her story. I really hope the Supreme Court doesn’t strike down the Affordable Care Act. If the act remains in tact, insurers will be forced to stop denying people for pre-existing conditions in 2014.