GOT HEALTH INSURANCE?

I met a patient while on call this weekend named Mr. M. He has a newly diagnosed sarcoma wrapping around his spinal column, for which he had emergent surgery followed by chemotherapy last week. While he has this aggressive cancer, he does not have health insurance. He was aware for sometime prior to coming in that he might have something serious, but he hoped for the best and delayed seeking medical care despite new-onset incontinence and the need for a walker for ambulation.

His cancer, despite my description, may be curable as it is a chemoresponsive type of tumor called Ewing's sarcoma. However, cancer may be the least of his problems as his treatment will involve several multi-day hospitalizations for chemotherapy, CT scans, and expensive anti-nausea medications, all of which are expected to cause thousands of dollars. He will, in essence, have to spend all of his savings and liquidate all of his assets before becoming eligible for the Oregon Health Plan, our indigent medical care plan here. To anyone who opposes health care reform (I have not inquired about Mr. M's prior views on health care reform, but I am pretty sure about his current thoughts on this matter), I want them to explain to Mr. M and people like him that health care costs and lack of access to medical insurance is not a problem. For him, health care reform will not come soon enough.