Nightmare in U.S.: Forbidden to Get Sick

As long as we breathe, everything is possible. If Bernie Sanders gets to the Oval Office one day, he will certainly do everything in his power to give Americans free education and healthcare. It is, for sure, something inconceivable for the U.S. establishment and makes the Democrat presidential candidate a real “communist threat.”

Trying to improve the quality of life of people makes the Empire’s media to distort Sanders’ ideas by filling with fear a progressive Social Democrat who still has options against some of the other candidates within his political party, not as “socialist” as he is. However, he has few options against favorite Republican Donald Trump —a disgrace for mankind.

In the specific case of health care, and before 40 U.S. states that have asked to lower drug prices, Trump promised he could solve the problem for the summer. But he has solved nothing. Besides, there are some pharmaceutical companies that generously contribute to his electoral campaigns.

Hence, much have been said about this subject. It is impossible for low-income people to receive medical treatment, not to mention to be hospitalized.

A friend of mine who lives in Georgia told me —she was admitted in hospital to have a gallbladder surgery— she got into debt in 19,000 plus USD. As she earns very little, she will take long in paying her debt back. Therefore, she has been forbidden to leave the State, not to mention visiting her relatives in Cuba.

Perhaps you remember that accident in the Boston subway where a woman —after her leg got trapped— instead of asking for help, she yelled: “do not call the ambulance,” “It’s 3,000 USD and I can’t afford it.”

Guido Maquiavelo, specialist in preoperative optimization with more than ten-year experience in a public hospital in Bronx, New York, confirmed that the costs of a trip to the hospital would range from 1,500-5,000 USD, but the medical staff, by law, must treat every patient and do whatever it takes.

But Maquiavelo did not tell why there are patients who die in hospitals without medical care because they do not have health care insurance or expired, and nothing happens.

The problem emerges when it comes the time to see the bill of the visit. The number are usually huge. Few can afford the costs. That is why Medicaid and Medicare were founded in 1965 to help senior citizens and economically disadvantaged people.

It is a well-known secret that pharmaceutical companies pay entities within the health care system to favor their most expensive medications instead of alternative medications at lower prices.

That being said, Robin Feldman, professor of Law at the University of California Hastings and author of the book Drogas, dinero y acuerdos secretos: el imparable crecimiento de los precios de los medicamentos recetados, states that those who must care for patients are happy to follow the companies path.

To put an end to such lucrative system, a series of changes will be needed. To do so, a more moderate capitalist system is required. There must be total transparency (competence may blossom) and reduce some of the rights given by the government to strengthen the power of pharmaceutical companies…

Facing all of these, Sanders is to become the champion of the human rights to health care and education in the U.S.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz/CubaSi Translation Staff