The following is adapted for Common Dreams based on remarks at the Ohio Statehouse earlier this month.

I am honored to have served 45 years in emergency medicine as a paramedic in the streets of Cleveland, as an emergency nurse and as a physician. The ER is the only place where those abandoned by our profits-before-people health care system can go. My server at Bob Evans, my barber who cuts my admittedly few hairs, the guy who fixes my car and the woman who cleans my hotel room, these are all good Americans and my neighbors. They deserve care. US healthcare treats them like worthless throw away parts, like they are garbage. Many Affordable Care Act health insurance plans have completely out of reach premiums, co-pays and deductibles. They come to see me in the ER as they have nowhere else to go.

Tim arrived by EMS unable to speak or move his right arm. As is so often true Tim can say simple automatic things like “Hello” and “Yes” or “No”. Tim’s attempts to say more result in frustrated flailing of his good arm. It is too late for the stroke busting drugs. Tim’s stroke will likely be permanent.

Tim’s wife arrives. She remembers me. Turns out I treated Tim two months earlier when his heart began beating irregularly. Tim’s wife says “I’m glad you are our doctor—you were so good with Tim last time.” Two months earlier Tim had wanted to refuse hospital admission knowing his insurance had a $10,000 deductible. He was worried about dental braces for their two teenage girls. Tim’s wife and I convinced him to stay that time, to see the cardiologist and get his heart beat under control, for the sake of her and the girls.

Tim’s care for his irregular heartbeat financially devastated his family. Tim could not afford the follow-up doctor appointments or the “Eliquis” that kept blood clots from forming in his damaged heart.

A preventable blood clot caused Tim’s stroke. Tim’s life as breadwinner for his family is over. He had been worried about braces for his girls, now he can’t even talk to them. His girls arrive at the bedside with tears streaming down their faces.

Tim’s horror has........

© Common Dreams