A North Carolina man who had no health insurance has admitted to recently robbing a bank of one dollar in order to be sent to jail to get free medical coverage. James Verone, a laid-off employee of Coca Cola, recently noticed a protrusion in his chest and had developed arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Without health insurance or money for private care, Verone concluded his best option would be to go to prison. Verone told a local newspaper, "The pain was beyond the tolerance that I could accept. I kind of hit a brick wall with everything." Since being held in jail he has seen several nurses and has an appointment with a doctor Friday.
I'll also point out that the amount stolen in this case is about $999,999,999 less than the amount looted from the health care system by Florida Governor Rick Scott in his previous gig as CEO of hospital chain Columbia/HCA. Holding down expenses is important in the business world. I bet Coca-Cola wishes they could have this guy back.
Anyway, enjoy your upcoming holiday. That sound you hear in the background will be the Canadians laughing their ass off at us.
3 comments:
I liked this story, too. Too bad for the guy. It would've been something to read how Billy Porter, that OTHER drug monkey pharmacist, would've handled composing this as a piece of fiction.
An update from today's Democracy Now!, which you should have already seen, because I've told you you should be reading Democracy Now! every day:
Uninsured Man Explains Deliberate Jailing to Obtain Healthcare
A North Carolina man who deliberately got himself arrested to obtain free medical care in jail has spoken out from behind bars. James Verone, a laid-off employee of Coca Cola, recently noticed a protrusion in his chest and had developed arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Without health insurance or money for private care, Verone concluded his best option would be to go to prison. He then walked into a local bank and handed a teller a note reading:
"This is a bank robbery. Please give me one dollar."
James Verone: "First time I’ve ever been in trouble with the law, so it’s not—you know, I’m sort of a logical person, and that was my logic. That’s what I came up with. If it’s called manipulation, then out of necessity, because I need medical care, then I guess I am manipulating the courts to get medical care."
After Verone demanded the dollar, he told the bank teller he would be seated, waiting for the police to arrest him. Verone has been charged with larceny. He says he hopes to remain jailed for three years to continue receiving medical treatment.
Of course, you know that what the wingnuts will take away from this story is not the fact that our health care system is STILL so fucked that this guy had to get arrested to get treatment... but that medical treatment in prisons is OBVIOUSLY too lenient and why should we be coddling society's worst and giving 'em Tylenol should be all that's allowed and blah blah blurp blurp like that there.
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