IN THIS EPISODE

 

Why does America STILL have a healthcare system with so many cracks to fall through? A routine job change, a move, or a divorce can trigger a change in health insurance eligibility, premiums, out-of-pocket costs, provider networks, etc. What’s the true cost of our fragmented, bureaucratic and for-profit healthcare system?

To find out, we spoke to Scott Desnoyers, an anguished New York father who says he lost his son over a $20 insurance premium. Listen as Scott bears witness to the terrible toll a change in Medicaid eligibility took when his son Danny got a new job. 

When it comes to health insurance, a misunderstanding can have severe consequences. What can we expect when federal rules that have protected Medicaid eligibility during the COVID pandemic change later this year for some 15 million people?

 

SHOW NOTES

 

WE DISCUSS

 

What initially triggered the events leading to Danny’s death?

 

“It was around mid-February of 2019 that Danny had moved in with me. He was having a couple of problems, domestic issues, with his girlfriend, who was also the mother of his child. 

When he came in, he had just refilled his medication, which was Risperidone, an atypical antipsychotic which has a known suicidal risk for withdrawals. So after the first month, he comes home one day, and he said, “Pops, I went to get my medicine refilled today, and I found out my insurance had been canceled.” … 

So I told him “Danny, okay, not a big deal. How much is it?” He tells me it’s $250. That’s a big deal because we don’t have $250 lying around.”  – Scott Desnoyers

 

 

Who do you think is responsible for Danny’s tragic death?

 

“What this (insurance) company did is nothing short of legalized manslaughter for profits. The medication that they took from him, they knew had a known suicidal risk. They knew they were putting him at risk of doing this and they did it – over $20 – to somebody on Managed Medicaid.” – Scott Desnoyers

 

 

How could things have been different for Danny if we had single-payer, Medicare for All?

 

“Our system says that you can get treatment and health care is a right as long as you can afford to pay for it. With Medicare for All,  Bernie’s bill… they put a $200 cap on prescription costs. … so after Danny paid his first $200 he would have been able to continue to receive his medication without having to worry about whether he had the money or not.” – Scott Desnoyers

 

 

What keeps you going, Scott?

 

“I promised Danny I’ll never quit. … I have more kids. … Every time I think I want to quit and I want to give up, somebody comes on my Twitter feed and tells me some horrible story, something they didn’t deserve. That’s what keeps me going..” – Scott Desnoyers

 

Helpful Links

 

Deaths of despair: the unrecognized tragedy of working class immiseration, STAT

 

10 Things to Know About the Unwinding of the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Requirement, Kaiser Family Foundation

 

After son’s suicide, father meets with politicians about health care, ABC News 10

 

The State of U.S. Health Insurance in 2022, The Commonwealth Fund

 

Americans’ Challenges with Health Care Costs, Kaiser Family Foundation

 

Why health-care costs are rising in the U.S. more than anywhere else, CNBC

 

 

Episode Transcript

 

Read the full episode transcript. 

 

 

Obituary: Daniel Mark Desnoyers

 

Stillwater, Saratoga County                 Chase-Smith Family Funeral Homes

 

Daniel Mark Desnoyers, I, of Brickhouse Road passed away on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. He was 29.

Born in Albany on June 8, 1989 to Scott Desnoyers and Jodi M. Desnoyers.

Danny worked in landscaping and recently started working for the Saratoga National Golf Course.

Survivors include his father, Scott (Anna) Desnoyers of Stillwater, his mother Jodi M. Desnoyers (Jason Sylvester) of Troy, beloved children Daniel Mark Desnoyers, II and Hazel Rose Desnoyers, maternal grandmother Diane Buckman and his siblings, Tabatha S. Desnoyers of Cohoes, Aaron J. Quintal of Troy, Michael T. Quintal of Troy, Aidan M. Desnoyers of Stillwater and Joanna M. Bedford of Petersburgh. Also survived by several nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and close friends.

He is predeceased by his grandmother, Joann Shumpis and his cousin David Kohls.

Relatives and friends may call from 2-4:00pm on Sunday, April 14, 2019 at the Chase-Smith Family Funeral Homes, 729 Hudson Avenue, Stillwater. A service will be conducted at 4:00pm in the funeral home.

Online remembrances may be made at www.chasesmithfamily.com

 

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HEAL California is an independent news and information hub focused on the Medicare for All movement. We highlight the on-going injustices of our broken healthcare system and amplify the voices of those who are most impacted by it, with non-partisan news, views, podcasts and videos, 

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