Got medical bills? Organize your own benefit!

[IndianInlaw]

He can spend several grand on producing a play and even more on a shooting sport, but doesn't buy insurance?

Shame on him!

[sammycat]

I think it's one of the only "crap shoots" where there's REAL "crap" involved!  lol

[/quote]I can see holding a benefit for someone who has recently discovered they have cancer, and needs help with the expenses.  A lady I know here in town, had this happen and the whole community rallied around her to help out...not just monetarily.

In those circumstances it's certainly acceptable and I'd donate to it.  I have a friend who had cancer (thankfully in remission now) and she required chemo at her local hospital.  As it was the only hospital in her city (or was it state?, can't remember for sure now), that offered chemo, it was all free and therefore the private health insurance she had was worthless in this case.

[sammycat]

[i]He can spend several grand on producing a play and even more on a shooting sport, but doesn't buy insurance?

Shame on him![/i]

Yes, I agree.  But they are fun things to spend your money on; why bother wasting it on essentials like health care.

[MineralDiva]

Have they always been this... entitled?

The guy hasn't. Mr. Diva has known him for many years...and he comes from some money...which makes this doubly puzzling.

Since he's gotten involved with HER, it's been a downward spiral of manipulation and PA behavior.  I think SHE's always been this entitled, and has now convinced him to behave in similar fashion.

It's really too bad.  He's actually a nice guy...on his own.  He so wanted a relationship, and has for a long time.  Then she came along, played the "womb card," and here we are!

Gag!

[sammycat]

Maybe this situation will bring him at least to his senses and he'll see her for what she really is.  Although that doesn't excuse his spending money on shooting and plays rather than health care.

Do you know if many people are getting behind this fundraiser and supporting it, or do you think it will all fall flat?  If that happens won't they be left with even more bills to pay?

[MineralDiva]

What this guy DOESN'T know...in his interest to keep his girlfriend happy...is that she had a conversation with Mr. Diva, during the production of our last show.  It revolved around her "attraction" to another actor in our cast, who IS married...and how she cheated all the time on her former husband!

She and boyfriend are supposed to be getting married in July...and she's on MY couch, telling Mr. Diva about how she wants to **** another actor in our cast....and about her serial cheating exploits of the past?

We've sat on this information...and Mr. Diva gave her a good talking to.  But we're not going to get in the middle of THAT! 

I feel sorry for the boyfriend here....in many ways.  But other than distancing ourselves from them, both personally and professionally.....there isn't much else we can do that would be remotely construed as being "constructive."

[MineralDiva]

Maybe this situation will bring him at least to his senses and he'll see her for what she really is.

I hope so!

Do you know if many people are getting behind this fundraiser and supporting it, or do you think it will all fall flat?

It's too early to tell.  We just heard about it this afternoon.

If that happens won't they be left with even more bills to pay?

Quite possibly.  It depends on whether the venue owner agrees to donate the venue at no charge.  We paid her $1400 in rent, when we did our Halloween show there!  Granted, that was four performances over a weekend...but do the math for a one-night benefit.

And they probably will expect the "talent" to perform for free.  WE paid ours!

[Clara Bow]

You know, around our community when someone has a major illness a lot of people jump on board and do raffles, bbq dinners, etc to raise money for the family. I always put my money in until recently...
A family had one of their sons diagnosed with leukemia...he's in remission thank God. There were a lot of community benefits for them, and the state hospital employees passed the hat and got them a fair chunk of change. Now these people have state benefits, some of the best insurance you can get shy of federal. They were paying a lot of money, yes, but nothing like people with no benefits pay. With all the money they got from two 5 dollar a plate bbq dinners and a pass the hat at the state? Well, they got a nice new SUV, and no they didn't NEED it, both parents had very nice cars that they kept...and the whole family is contributing a sizeable amount of money to Tommy Hilfiger...
Maybe they didn't spend their charity money that way, I hope they didn't and I'm just being overly judgemental. But I worked for years in pharmacy and I have seen people really struggling to buy their medicine and pay for doctors with no insurance or little income...they don't drive brand new SUV's and wear designer clothes...
If Miss Priss can stay home and galivant, then she needs a job. Period. And I think that I would get rid of the two of them yesterday....

[sammycat]

This whole situation, on both a personal and professional level, just looks ready to explode into a huge mess.  She sounds like a real piece of work.  I sense some great ehell stories to come.  I'd be distancing myself too.

[MineralDiva]

Mr. Diva showed much more restraint, when he heard about it, than I would have...that's for sure!  I'd have said unequivocally, "E-HELL NOT ON YOUR LIFE!"

[Clara Bow]

Mr Diva's back teeth were probably ground to powder while he was showing that restraint...and I think I'd ask him what he hurled across his office when he got a second alone....

[MineralDiva]

He was actually at a rehearsal for something totally un-related.  His band is performing tomorrow night.  But yes, I'm sure he has a few cracked molars after that one!  lol

He came directly home and told me.  Now I'M the one fuming....and posting about it here...and he's in the living room, entertaining a friend. 

I did tell him I was going to post about it here, and he's been interested in all your replies.  He knows how I love my fellow Ehellions!  And he also knew this was a perfect story for us all to chew on!  LOL

[supernova]

When (not if) you show these two the door of the Boardroom, and politely fail to let it hit them on the way out...  I'd also check with a lawyer and find out if there's something legally that can be done to further distance your company X from any of their further endeavors Y, Z or Q. 

I know that I've seen individuals do the "notification of non-responsibility" thing in the newspaper ("I, John Q. Doe, am no longer responsible for any debts incurred by anyone other than myself," that thing) but I don't know if there's a similar protection for nonprofits or businesses.  But it's a good idea to check.

And thank you for sharing BenefitBoy and EntitlementGirl with us...

     - saphie

[sammycat]

thank you for sharing BenefitBoy and EntitlementGirl with us...

LOL  Great names.  Now I have visions of them throwing their capes over their shoulders before flying off to ask for more "entitlements".

[hjaye]

but if people don't have insurance is the only option to pay the bill in full themselves?  Is there any type of government funded medicare available?

I have been in the same situation in the past where I worked for as a contractor and did not have any benefits.  I found I was able to purchase a health insurance policy for a little over two hundred dollars a month.  It was major medical insurance, with a higher deductible than policies I had with previous jobs.  However, it gave me the comfort of knowing if I had a major illness or accident, my expenses would be manageable.  Granted, if I found myself in the same position today as I did a few years ago, it would be much harder since I have had some surgeries (back) and a heart procedure (angioplasty) since then.  However, too often we take our health for granted and don't protect ourselves when we feel we don't need it, so that when we get to a point where we do need some coverage, we either don't qualify or the cost is prohibitive.

I realize I'm generalizing a bit, but my point is that for a lot of people, there are options, but they chose not to take advantage of them and then expect other people to foot the bill of their financial strain due to the consequences of their own decisions.