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Transcript:
Folks if you need an expensive medical procedure in this country and you’re not rich, you just might get a letter from your insurance company or hospital telling you your best option is a GoFundMe campaign.
If you don’t believe me, just ask Hedda Elizabeth Martin.
Ms. Martin is on the list for a heart transplant. But two days before Thanksgiving, she got a letter from the Spectrum Health System in Grand Rapids, Michigan, telling her that she was out of luck.
The letter made no mention of any clinical reason why she was being turned down. Instead, Ms. Martin was told that a “committee” had simply decided that Ms. Martin wasn’t rich enough.
Here’s a direct quote from the letter: The decision made by the committee is that you are not a candidate at this time for a heart transplant due to needing a more secure financial plan for immunosuppressive medication coverage. The committee is recommending a fundraising effort of $10,000.
The letter went on to tell Ms. Martin that “If you have any concerns or questions, please call the transplant office at 616-391-2802.”
Guess who’s the chairman of the board of Spectrum Health System. It’s Richard DeVos, husband of Betsy DeVos, President Trump’s Secretary of Education. The DeVos family is one of the richest in the world. Let’s all call that number and express our concerns. And maybe suggest that Dick and Betsy consider chipping in a buck or two to Ms. Martin’s GoFundMe campaign.
