Broken Levees, Broken Lives: Katrina's Healthcare Legacy

[Scarecrowman27]

2nd largest hospital in the country with just the basement damaged in Katrina and it remains closed? It's just so bad, like at least try to cover up the fact that you don't give a shit. Making it this obvious is like spitting in the people's faces. This is unreal I'm ashamed to be American at times like that ... and it KILLS to say that, but it's true.

[JAZZ400CD]

WELL, I am glad I live in England, cos anyone ges free health care, even illegal immigrants. other immigrants that have resident status via a job can get free care as soon as they arrive, despite never paying a penny in taxation, once they are unemployed they claim for housing benefit, some are livng in 7 bedroom mansions (costing £3000 per week) as their local  council has no homes like that available

[countrysamurai]

What's amazing to me is that people want the right to live where ever they want, but when things turn to hell... they expect the American taxpayers to foot the bill. People abuse their bodies for most of their lives...smoke, drink, eat like pigs, never exercise and yet someone else is responsible when their health fails?

I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE for others bad choices...I have two children that are my responsibility...not the people of New Orleans or anywhere else, who make poor decisions! Get it?

[CulturePeaceForever]

This H.R.676 Says; "To provide for comprehensive health insurance coverage for all United States residents,and for other purposes."!!?,but explains things for'medical organizations,doctors,chiropra­ctors,et.cetera,will smidgeons of do for patients!

[unionmaidn]

What a thoughtful, moving documentary. Thank you to CNA/NNOC.

I've marked the profane comments as spam.

[calnurses]

Martin Luther King, Jr. once famously said, "of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and most inhumane."

Regardless of age, socioeconomic status, religion, cultural background, or race, we all must face the fears of illness, aging, and death. Guaranteed universal healthcare for everyone in America is the only compassionate solution!

May we find forgiveness in our hearts for the ignorant, fear-based, all-out RACIST comments made below?

[KarlaKayM]

This is horribly sad and disgraceful.....why has this not been rectified? Why doesn't the news report this kind of stuff?

[garycalgary]

i had no idea Charity Hospital was still closed 3 years later.

Which must mean a lot of people in the city have to go elsewhere for care

[seand67]

I don't understand how New Orleans can survive without it's major trauma hospital ior decent healthcare system. W.T.F. is going on down there ? They reopened the Superdome (etc.) but no REAL major hospital for the city....PURE B.S.!! What a shame

[skrammy28]

A vote for Nader is a vote for single payer health care! Neither corporate candidate will ever take the profit and exploitation out of health care.

[RN4MERCY]

Really sad and shameful. This video is a powerful testimony to the fact that there's something wrong with health care in America. Thanks for your advocacy and for working to inspire us to do the right thing. As a people, we must reinvest in and restore the public health system. Equality and equal access to health care, based on need; imagine that! We don't have to imagine it though, it's legislation: HR 676. Congress must pass it; the President must sign it. Obama said he would; we won't forget!

[hms08KY]

Send this to Barack Obama.

We must put an end to our current multi-insurer mess. Enact HR 676. Give us a humane, equitable single payer health care system--taxpayer funded, with choice of doctor and hospital. No person a charity case, no hospital a charity hospital.

In the event of another Katrina, or an epidemic, everyone would have access to care in nearby towns. I call on physicians nationwide to join PNHP today. Stand with your colleagues from New Orleans, and with the CA nurses.

[BAYBER3214]

"Charity" was named for the "Daughters of Charity",not because it serviced charity cases. the name had been changed to La. Medical Center It was a public hospital, you still had to pay, if you had insurance or could afford it.

[hms08KY]

Hey--thanks for that clarification. But was it the hospital that served most indigents? Where do the uninsured go now? I'd like to check into hospitals founded by the Daughters of Charity n other countries--countries that have implemented single payer. Come to think of it, I'm waiting for our US Catholic bishops to endorse single payer. Where is St. Vincent de Paul when we need him?

Yours for health care justice.

[BAYBER3214]

Charity and University Med Center are both United Med Center of La.University was bought as an expansion of Charity. There were and are several other locations where the indigent do receive medical care. Most hospitals in the N.O. area are not for profit.Charity opened clinics in other areas before University Med Center reopened.East Jefferson Hosp[public] also took care of these patients.They never closed during Katrina,they are self sufficient in emergencies,with water and generators.

[writechic]

Thanks for doing this. I didn't know this was the fate of Charity.

[IWW610]

This is what happens when health care is a cost / profit analysis.

[MsGeek703]

OMG this is horrible. Why is Charity Hospital still idle? This is absolutely sinful.

[eastbayjay]

This is a very powerful and moving video.

[lisebethann]

GREAT MOVING VIDEO....would love to see more footage sometime. HR 676 Now!