NEW YORK, May 12, 2009
Ex-Marine In Raffle For His Life
Needs Double Lung Transplant; Insurance Would Only Cover Fraction Of $550M Cost; Family, Friends Raffling Off Condo, Car
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Chuck Campbell on The Early Show Tuesday (CBS)
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A ticket for the raffle (CBS)
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Play CBS Video Video Raffle To Save A Life Harry Smith spoke with Chuck Campbell, a former marine in need of a double lung transplant whose family is holding a raffle to pay for the balance of what his health insurance won't cover.
The former Marine, a Milfdord, Del. father of four, has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which has cost him 80 percent of his lung capacity. Just walking around is difficult, he told Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith Tuesday. Campbell, 45, used to smoke, and is hooked up to an oxygen supply at all times.
But he says his health insurance carrier would only pick up about $80,000 of the estimated $550,000 tab for the surgery. Post-op care could almost double that if there are any complications.
So, his family and friends started a raffle to get the money to cover the cost.
The two grand prizes -- donated in part by the owner of the car dealership he works for: a new Mercedes Benz SL convertible, and a golf course townhouse in Sarasota, Fla.
To learn more about Campbell and the raffle, click here.
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 55 CommentsObama is kiling this man. He can make it happen, but he chooses to appease the homos and terrorists instead.
he has been denied disability and he has worked all his life . he need medical help but we couldnt afford it. since he cannot work and it very trying on us.so as it allways said
Don,t judge no one til you walk in their shoes.
I worked in a respiratory clinc for a couple of years and delt with people who came in sick because they smoked. They knew the dangers and continued to smoke. Even if he has some genetic problem it does not excuse that he still smoked and now wants help. It is funny how people are always looking for a way to remove their personal responsibility. Smoking can cause and excaberate problems. There is no excuse for smokers, they should crawl in a corner, die and quit causing us so much money. They are aware of the possible side effects and yet they continue to smoke. This man had trouble breathing before he was diagnosised and did he quit? No he only quit when it got worse. I am sure had he not gotten sick he would still be smoking.
, eh bien pauvre homme, il a été remercié de la meilleure des façons, aprés des années de services au sein de l'armée, le voila ..rejeté, ...réduit a faire la quete pour ses soins....bravo
Posted by sam-kiley at 7:57 AM : May 13, 2009
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(loose Translation based on High School French): Hello, ah well, poor man. He is being thanked for his time in the best of ways for his many years in the Army. Here it is, rejected... Reduced to searching for his care. Cheer, Sam Kiley
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Oh my GAWD, evern the FRENCH get it!
Posted by poster2009 at 10:35 PM : May 12, 2009
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Actually, you heartless piece of dung, COPD is an illness that DOES affect smokers but for him to be this bad this early in life tells me there are some underlying genetics or environmental factors. COPD is not "just" a smoker's illness but it generally affects people much older than this man. My mother suffered from COPD towards the end of her life and it was due to being exposed to Asbestos in the 40's and 50's before people knew the damage it did.
My oldest brother was a smoker and died at the age of 28 due to a cancer that should have killed him when he was 12 or 13. How did he get it? My father was part of "Operation Plumb Bob", a nuclear test in the Nevada Desert in the late 50s. He was hit with so much radiation it was passed on to my brother, who was born 11 months after my father came back from the test. Did my brother deserve to die? No. Was his cancer a result of his smoking? Absolutely not!
You need to do some research before spouting off like you do. It's as the quote says, "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
Abraham Lincoln
Posted by andie52 at 5:16 AM : May 13, 2009
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Slight correction is needed here.
Each persons "krankenkasse" (Med. insurance) has set rates. The rich do not subsidize the poor. Not all treatments are fully covered by the insurance. A simple visit to the doctor will cost you 10 Euro up front. A visit to the dentist is another 10. If you are there for a check-up and nothing is found you get your 10 Euro back. This little additional cost was put through legislation by the united groups of medical insurance companies.
If you are self employed you can pay for private insurance. You pay a bit more but get treated much better.
The principle you call "solidarity" has absolutly nothing to do with the medical insurance. The "solidarity deduction" was put through legislation shortly after the re-unification of Germany. This "deduction" affected only citizens of the former western sector. The initial plan was to have this for just one year to help rebuild the newly opened eastern sector. Unfortunatly the "solidarity deduction" has not gone away and the east is still a bit behind the rest of the country.
, eh bien pauvre homme, il a été remercié de la meilleure des façons, aprés des années de services au sein de l'armée, le voila ..rejeté, ...réduit a faire la quete pour ses soins....bravo
Posted by mejordelahistoria at 1:08 AM : May 13, 2009
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Germany has the world's oldest universal care system and is arguably the most successful. Like Americans, most Germans get their health coverage through their employers. But Germany's rich pay higher premiums to subsidize insurance for the poor ? a principle the Germans call "solidarity."
But many countries provide universal insurance yett deny critical procedures to patients who need them.
The VA dose not cover every and anything, they only cover service connected illnesses. They even charge me for asprins and I was promissed full medical for life. I was only paid about 10% of what they pay now, so that was part of our deal. When did the US ever keep a promise??
The mans problems are not service connected. I know he dosen't want to die but i belive his last efforts would be better spent the same as I would want to do in trying to secure the best future for his family.
I have raised five sons buried two of them and am raising two grandchildren, did have three two left now ages 15 & 10 plus my wife. There are a lot of us out here in tight spots and sitituations of all types. You can't help everyone not even one at a time.
The problem is that the University that told them they would need more than $500,000.00
is a school (1) nonprofit (2) &(3) get all of their funding donated or from our tax dollars. Are asking too much with out anything guaranteed thats's why they always call it a practice.
He would be better off putting his last efforts towards something more secure for his family. I would be willing to give him $50.00 towards that end, I give more than that to causes often and would donate to his family, not the opperation.
I'm not heartless just know when to move on and how to go about it.
Posted by tommynutz at 11:37 AM : May 12, 2009
hehehe you are such an imbecile. ....... look moron, in germany where there is universal care, not only german citizens get surgery but also a friend of mine from the US got 2 back surgeries, and he still hasn't paid for any of them. He owes the german government 20 thousand..... but if he would have proceeded with the same surgery in the US the cost was 100 thousand dollars plus and they wanted to send him home after the first night in the hospital. Go inform yourself stupid.
EVERY TIME the GOP cries that you will be DENIED COVERAGE by having the OPTION of a GOVERNMENT RUN insurance plan. THINK ABOUT THIS MAN.
Private insurers DENY TREATMENT ALL OF THE TIME. Their interest is in PROFIT, NOT YOUR HEALTH.
There was another story just like this on our local news last night. A woman with BRAIN CANCER who was denied the ONLY treatment that would save her life because BLUE SHIELD RULES would not let her be treated *the number of tumors was "over the limit" that allowed treatment (a "limit" that her DOCTOR said was completely arbitrary and without medical basis). He DOCTOR said that all she got from BLUE SHIELD was the runaround, but no "OK". The insurance companies are all about MAKING A PROFIT. You can DIE as far as they are concerned (as long as your estate pays your back-bills).
There was another article yesterday about BLUE SHIELD revoking insurance RETROACTIVELY. You PAY your premiums, then when you get SICK, the INSURANCE COMPANY RETROACTIVELY REVOKES YOUR INSURANCE and makes you pay ALL of your OLD BILLS that they paid initially. "Buy insurance from the INSURANCE COMPANIES and DIE".
WE NEED A SINGLE-PAYER SYSTEM IN THE USA, so you will NOT be DENIED COVERAGE BY GREEDY and UNSCRUPULOUS INSURANCE COMPANIES.
was ubiquitous in the U.S., especially prevalent in the South.
I was in my teens when I started , and , like so many teens then, ignored the emerging warnings of addiction and lung-impairment. I have No One to blame but Myself for my medical-problems.
But to assert "smokers don't deserve care" is an Inhuman statement. Especially when the Ex-smoker Desperately needing Help is a person who has served his country.
Posted by tommynutz at 11:37 AM : May 12, 2009
I absolutely hate it when people say things and they don't have a clue what they are talking about.
My mom is now 83. When she was 80, she had hip replacement surgery, and 2 eye surgeries.
Posted by ToolMangler1 at 2:30 PM : May 12, 2009
My aunt lived for years with only one lung.
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