Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / May 31, 1984, edition 2 / Page 11
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SCLC Hearings Reveal People Are Dying Because They Can’t Afford Insurance By Karen Parker Post Staff Writer Rev. Albert Love of the national Southern Chris tian Leadership Confer ence (SCLC) announced, health care hearings in Charlotte last week “brought forth' sensitivity about hospital care in Charlotte.” * Charlotte is one of 11 cities where the “Health care for Black and Poor Americans” testimonies were held. SCLC presid ent, Dr. Joseph Lowery, Psychiatrist Alvin Pous saint, M.D., and executive director of National Coun cil of Senior Citizens, Bill Hutton were the panelists. The testimonies here as in other cities revealed people are dying or might dje~ because they can t afford hospital insurance. One participant Lucille McNeil Chambers criti cized the Medicare pro gram. “It took me six years to get my disability, and it’s very low, but I did get it. But I still don’t get any Medicare,” Chambers testified. At age 63, Chambers is partially blind and has arthritis in her back and one leg. “I think as high as my medicine is, and the cost of living, that I’m eligible for Medicare to help with my medicine,” she argued. Because Chambers is a volunteer with a senior citizen group, she noted she has met others who are poor and-or elderly and can’t afford the expense of medicine and medical care. “I found one couple, the husband is 68 years old and the wife will be 60 on January 1. She is a diabetic, has high blood pressure, and heart trouble,” Chambers re vealed. The couple receives a monthly income provided by Social Security of $300. Accoraing to Chambers the money is stretched to pay for food, clothing, rent, and medical expenses. “Her medicine bill runs from $80-$90 a month,’’ Chambers informed with concern. Since the couple can’t afford the medicine each month, they have gone to crisis assistance agencies for financial aid. However, those agencies can only help a client once because they have a large demand to meet. “We were able to get someone to fill her pre scriptions for March, April, May ana June, she's not able to find anyone else to get her medicine for her,” stated Chambers. The couple which Cham bers talked about receives $20 monthly in food stamps. Being, on a special diet, , Chambers emphasized, her friends are having a dif _ficult time living on “yellow combread, some butter, honey and cheese.” “I find that a lot of people are suffering; they are dying for the want of attention of medical care,” Chambers added. The in cident which she described is true-to-life across the country according to SCLC officials. It’s not only true of elderly citizens; but any one who can’t afford to buy medicine and are being denied financed medical assistance. An Associated Press re port revealed Laurie Ann Oiler, 21, died after going 10 days without a life saving drug, because she couldn’t afford to buy it. “This death was caused by cost containment," stated Peter DeSimone, executive secretary of the Missouri Association for Social Wel fare. The federal government removed the drug from among those which Medi caid could finance in order to curb rising Medicaid costs, according to De Beaux Arts Ball Set The fourth annual Beaux Ball, sponsored by the Visual Arts Coalition, will be held Friday, June 1, at Park Center, from 8 p.m. until 1. Inspired by the costume ball which were popular at the turn of the century, the Beaux Arts is an evening of music and merriment put on by ar tists for the enjoyment and revelry of the community. The Spongetones, a po pular Charlotte quartet that specializes in Beatle era music, will perform, accompanied by a laser light show by Robert Riggs bee and Lee Fleis cher. As in the past, actual court judges from Charlotte will award prizes for costumes. Emcees for the evening will be Grou cho Marks and Carol Wayne, courtesy of Char lotte personalities Roger Durrett and Lynee Brad ley Simone. The drug which the victim used cost about $10 for eight pills which had to be taken daily. Once SCLC has gathered testimonies from cities scattered across the coun try, the information will be published and presented at the Democratic and Repu blican conventions. Whatever the vagaries of the voting public, we are serving notice on this Ad ministration or whichever one may be sitting there on Pennsylvania Avenue at this time next year, fail ure to address the crisis in 1 health for poor Americans will be met with massive resistance. The right to adequate health care is a sacred right-as is the right to vote." i—»—x mm Ha Pictured above left to right: Dr. Joseph Lowery, local SCLC member _Pearl Robinson, Daisy Alexander, and SCLC administrator. Rev. Albert Love attended the local hearings in Charlotte. THE CHARLOTTE POST ADVERTISERS CAN SAVE YOU MONEY!!!! UP TO [ SATURDAY JUNE 2nd - — . _ w rr w -ty>u c a > SATURDAY JUNE 2nd PAY OUT INCLUDING EARLY _ REGULAR-LATE BINGO 9 MEfl.fl.EON $ XX)RS OPEN 8 A M.- EARLY BINGO 10 A M. SUPER EARLY 4 P M - REGULAR BINGO 7 P — SUPER EARLY GAMES — SUPER EARLY GAMES —— 8 - *2,000°° GAMES 1 . S5 00000 GAME I ^ $25,000°0COVERALL •CALwEoDnT1L REGULAR GAMES START AT 7 PM 9 - *5,000°° JACKPOT GAME $on nnnoo called a-V/VAAJ TIL WON PRICES 2 PACKS — $100.00 4 PACKS — $125.00 6 PACKS — $150.00 9 - 10,000°° JACKPOT GAME $on nnnoo called OU/UUU TIL WON $150.00 ^ SUPER SAVER INCLUDES 3 PACKS SUPER EARLY « PACKS REGULAR GAMES MASTER CHARGE and VISA ACCEPTED )OORS OPEN 8 A M. - EARLY BINGO 10 A M. - SUPER EARLY 4 F> II fpCr. ^or •r'^ormation and Reservations [jr*2__Phone Mabel McKnight 704-375-8282
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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May 31, 1984, edition 2
11
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