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DEAR EDITOR: It is time for America to either get moving, or for the people of America to move--to another country, that is. The last choice would seem to be the thing to do if you cannot afford health insurance anymore. I can't. I've recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The bill for the blood work and x-rays was bad enough, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. I am, and have been taking, medication for pain and inflammation and have not shown much improvement. Now there is a relatively new medicine that can slow RA's progress. However, I've learned that this medicine is so expensive that the average working person without insurance is unable to obtain it. A pharmacist told me its costs between $1,500 and $2,000 a month. Why? Because it's new and there is no generic equivalent, therefore, pharmaceutical companies can charge what they please. Are these companies without empathy for their fellow countrymen? This medicine is unavailable for families with debilitating illnesses who have no insurance. I understand RA usually gets worse, so why is it being made so hard to get it? If we can't get it then we ought to be able to get on disability. Are the government and medical association not wanting us to get the medicine because they hope we will expire so they won't have to pay for disability and Social Security? The American people have been told over and over again what a great country this is, but it seems a little less great to me if it can't offer health insurance to all people as some other countries do. If only you government people and pharmaceutical companies that have anything to do with manufacturing or dispensing medicine could know the extent of our suffering. I challenge you to do some rethinking and restructuring of our medical and insurance dilemma. We are fed up with the way it is now. In short, the medical situation stinks and it needs some caring people to get moving and make some overdue changes! NELL LEAPTROTT Swainsboro
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