Speaking of hospitals and medical care in the great capitalist republic of the USA:
"she had a different kind of appointment with her employer: the hospital was suing her for unpaid medical bills."
"owes Methodist more than $23,000"
"It’s surreal, she said, to be sued by the organization that pays her $12.25 an hour."
“You know how much you pay me. And the money you’re paying, I can’t live on,”
" sought to garnish the wages of more than 160 Methodist workers"
" a Methodist Le Bonheur employee who owes more than $1,200. In January, she proposed paying $100 a month, even though her sworn affidavit listed monthly expenses that exceeded her $1,650 monthly income"
"owed more than $5,400 ... checking account balance of less than $4 ... offered to pay $10 biweekly, or $20 most months, but Methodist’s attorney wanted $200 per month. The judge ordered her to pay $100 per month"
"Methodist’s health insurance benefits only allow employees to seek medical care at Methodist facilities"
"we [Methodist Hospital] recognize the responsibility we have as an organization to contribute to the success of the diverse communities we serve"
"offered to pay $50 every two weeks ... They said I’d be owing them all my life"
"Methodist bishops who serve on its board bear responsibility for reminding it of the denomination’s values."
"Bishop Gary Mueller’s office referred a reporter to Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare’s communications office. Bishop Bill McAilly declined to comment. Bishop James E Swanson did not respond to multiple requests for comment."
"lowest-paid employees make $10 an hour and about 18% of workers make less than $15 an hour "
"made Forbes’ 2019 list of Best Employers by State"
"Times be hard, because sometimes my body feels like I can’t make it, but I get up anyway, because I don’t want to be homeless again.”
Read and weep:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/28/memphis-hospital-suing-own-workers-unpaid-medical-billsCue a defense of capitalism in 3...2...1...
Capitalism cannot fail ! Capitalism can only be failed ! Capitalism got electrolytes ! Capitalism is what's good for you ! Best Capitalism !
"Evry debt is sacred, evry debt is great
If a debt is wasted, God gets quite irate"
-- with apologies to Monty Python
Fuck that noise.
sidd