Dying for Insurance?

By Dale Bowling

A few days ago, Governor Mitt Romney said that people don't die in America because they don't have medical insurance.

Actually they do. Fifty thousand Americans every year.  That's like eighteen 9/11s, year in and year out.

It's really not that hard to figure how that could happen. Here's how:

John and Bob both develop stomach pain and both of them react that way you'd expect. They buy antacids. The antacids help a little but a week or two later both men still have the same problem.

John (who has insurance) goes to his doctor, who runs a bunch of tests. It turns out John has Stage 1 stomach cancer. He goes on chemo. His chances are good since they caught it early.

Bob doesn't have insurance and can't afford to go see the doctor. So he buys another bottle of antacids. And another. And another. And so on. Meanwhile, his undiagnosed Stage 1 stomach cancer is approaching Stage 4.  He's on his way to becoming a statistic which proves Governor Romney is full of malarkey.

What's the number one reason that people don't go the doctor? Cost.

There's a reason why Europeans live longer and spend less on health care. They go to the doctor regularly and routine care saves lives and money by heading off major health problems before they occur.  The reason this works there and not here is that Europeans are insured. Cost is not a reason to skip doctor's visits in London or Paris or Berlin.

The Affordable Care Act is going to prevent a lot of folks like Bob from becoming statistics. By allowing Americans to get insurance if they don't have it and afford it if they don't have the money for it, Democrats have given those fifty thousand Americans a shot at life and health.

Oh- Governor Romney has vowed to repeal this shot at life and health on his first day in office, if he's elected President.

Democrats won't allow the Bobs of the world to remain free market collateral damage. America deserves better than that.

VOTE DEMOCRAT on Nov. 6.