New York, 11:09 PM
Mon Dec 7
48 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip Your Editors:
Tipline: 646-214-8138
Editor-in-Chief:
Gabriel Snyder |
West Coast Editor:
Richard Rushfield |
Contributing Editors:
Valleywag:
Ryan Tate |
Media:
Hamilton Nolan |
Politics:
Alex Pareene |
Investigations:
John Cook |
Entertainment:
Brian Moylan |
Nights:
Adrian Chen |
Azaria Jagger |
Ravi Somaiya |
Weekends:
Foster Kamer |
Video Editor:
Richard Blakeley |
| posts about #healthinsurance more → |
Did Wilco's Jay Bennett Die Because He Lacked Health Insurance? |
Starbucks Giveth Disease, Then Taketh Away |
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
Gawker 
05/26/09
05/26/09
05/26/09
05/26/09
05/27/09
05/26/09
at the same time no one should die because they can't afford the medical care they need - NO ONE!
What is this - a Third World country????
I guess so.
05/26/09
05/26/09
"We hate to get all political at the time of a man's death, but if a well-established musician/producer like Jay Bennett couldn't afford the health care he needed to seek treatment for his crippling injuries, what hope does that leave for the rest of us in this country?"
I very much disagree with this statement. A rich guy who pisses his money away on drugs and God knows what else doesn't set any sort of example for the rest of the country.
05/26/09
05/26/09
Earthy, folk-influenced, alt-country: Wilco.
Abstract, experimental: Bennett.
Few Wilco songs that aren't insufferably precious. And the ones that aren't are likely to involve Bennet's contribution.
05/26/09
05/26/09
05/26/09
I suggest that question is relevant in either scenario.
05/26/09
05/26/09
05/27/09
05/26/09
and for that matter every other industrialized country where the schools are better too
05/26/09
What else? Lakehead U? U of Windsor? Memeorial U of Newfoundland? I mean, Queens and U of T are ok, but let's not get carried away.
05/26/09
Your position seems like a tough one to defend in that context, especially given the vast size of the undereducated underclass in the US. But I'm willing to listen to arguments that it's actually the other way around -- I'm not an expert on Canadian education.
05/26/09
Cajun Boy, you are making a big leap in logic here. How do we know he couldn't afford it? Perhaps it was not in his top financial priorities until he became sick/injured? As a former health insurance broker, I know many people who couldn't "afford" health insurance, when really it just wasn't a financial priority for them. If you are living in a nice apartment, go out to dinner a couple times per month, bars on the weekends, etc... you probably can afford health insurance -- you just aren't willing to cut out some of these extras to afford it.
As for those who claim the preexisting bit as an excuse not to purchase health insurance, please be aware that the pre-x generally runs out after a year plus it does cover everything else that may happen to you that is unexpected (think appendicitis, broken bones, stitches, and other emergency health situations that aren't pre-x).
I am all for providing those who truly cannot afford health insurance coverage. But I do bristle when people who truly can afford it, opt out because they aren't willing to make lifestyle sacrifices to protect themselves.
05/26/09
05/26/09
The healthcare industry fatcats use scare tactics (You'll never get in to see your doctor! The care you get will suck!) to strike fear into the hearts of Amurikans so we'll keep going with the status quo.
It's broke, people. We should riot in the streets until it's fixed and everyone has universal healthcare.
Rest in peace, Jay Bennett. You'll be missed.
05/26/09
05/26/09
05/26/09
05/26/09
05/25/09
05/26/09
Really, I'd love to come back and live in the US for a few years, but not until you fix this mess.
05/26/09
05/26/09
Hell, some bands even do this for kids of musicians - the Dismemberment Plan did a benefit for the Jawbox kid a few years ago.
05/25/09
I am blind with rage when I think about it. And I shake with fury when I think about the night they sat at our dinner table talking about possibly terminating the pregnancy because there was no way they could cover the costs of her care on their own, especially on one income. Out of pocket, her OB/GYN was charging $500 a visit and wants to see her twice a week. It's unbelievable.
05/25/09
05/25/09