Oh, the irony:
Troops provide free medical care in KY, TN
July 28, 2013 18:35 EDT
PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) — Licensed medical professionals serving in the military are on a mission to provide free medical care to residents in western Kentucky and Tennessee.
The Paducah Sun reports (http://bit.ly/15ppIjQ ) that a program called Innovative Readiness Training provides medical screening, non-emergency medical treatment, minor lab tests, optometry exams and free glasses.
Services also include prescription assistance services, educational information and dental exams.
The program wrapped up a deployment in Martin, Tenn., on July 17. More than 3,200 patients received services ranging from general health and optical care to oral care in Martin.
The program will begin taking patients Aug. 5 in Mayfield, Ky. The mission also will visit Hayti, Mo., Dyersburg, Tenn., and Blytheville, Ark.
The mission is part of a partnership with the Delta Regional Authority and the Department of Defense.
First of all, yay. This service is really needed in this part of the country, so good on them.
Second of all, if you’re out there waving misspelled signs about the evils of socialized medicine while cheering free healthcare provided by the most socialized agency of the U.S. government then I have a cup of STFU with your name on it. Seriously, y’all: yesterday at the grocery store I saw a car plastered with Tea Party bumper stickers (“Don’t Tread On Me,” “Liberty And Freedom!,” “End Socialism,” “Abolish The IRS,” etc. etc. along with a lovely U.S. Army specialty license plate. I didn’t think it was possible for that much stupid to fit on the back of one vehicle.)
Thirdly, if this is your solution to the nation’s healthcare crisis, then you are out of ideas and need to get to the back of the line and shut up.
Fourthly, if you can’t at least admit that “the best healthcare system in the world” wouldn’t have stuff like this going on somewhere every weekend, then you shouldn’t be crafting healthcare policy:
Sampson was one of an estimated 3,000 uninsured or under insured patients who lined up for hours — even days — to receive free medical, dental and eye care at the 14th annual Remote Area Medical clinic at the Wise County Fairgrounds in far Southwest Virginia.
The three-day event draws thousands every year from the coalfields of Appalachia for charity health care and is staffed by a small army of nearly 2,000 volunteers.
Sampson, 47, from Hiltons , arrived Saturday with her boyfriend, his son and a friend and slept overnight in a compact Kia Sephia so they could be seen Sunday. They waited in line more than eight hours Saturday just to wake up and be back at 5 a.m. Sunday.
The best healthcare in the world ain’t worth a fart in the breeze if the people who need it can’t access it. And there is no way on earth you can convince me that a compassionate, “Christian” nation would treat its sick and poor this way.
This is the sign of a broken system, not a functioning one. I read stories like this and I know I’m supposed to get the warm fuzzies, aww ain’t it sweet this medical student is volunteering his time! Yes, it’s sweet, good for him, good for all of them. Thank God for them. But dammit, people! He shouldn’t have to!
It shouldn’t have to be this way!
Get a damn clue.