Remarks by Dr. Caitlin Chestnut in Albuquerque, NM

Caitlin Chestnut, MD, is a CIR Member at the University of New Mexico Medical Center.  She delivered these remarks on July 8, 2008 as part of the "Health Care for America NOW!" kickoff in Albuquerque, NM.



We are here today because our patients need access to healthcare NOW!

As a doctor, I often see patients choosing between paying for healthcare and paying for food, clothing, or shelter.

I remember working with a family in Cuba, NM who had been ranching in the area for generations. One of the three children in the family had an appendicitis, and there was no question that he would come to Albuquerque for surgery. This family was now barely scraping by each month, trying to pay for medical bills as well as the basic needs of the family. My patient's mother told me if one more unexpected expense came up, they would not be able to pay for groceries this month.

I had another patient who was recently hospitalized because he had a heart attack. He had not been taking his blood pressure or cholesterol-lowering medications--not because he did not want to take them, but because he could not afford them. Now he may no longer be able to live independently.

These kinds of stories are not uncommon. A Harvard study in February, 2005 showed that half of all bankruptcies occurred after a family member suffered from serious medical problems. A study from 2007 also confirmed what most people already know from experience: when people have healthcare coverage their health improves. I think that we not only need healthcare coverage, but it must be affordable and with adequate access.

What kind of a country are we that we allow this happen to our young and old people? We have enough resources to provide care for all; it's our choices about how to allocate those resources that need to be re-examined. We are here today to say, IT'S TIME TO COMMIT TO GUARANTEED, AFFORDABLE, ACCESSABLE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL!

Let's see what we all can accomplish if we work together towards this goal, starting today.