Cancer sufferers no longer receiving medical cards unless deemed terminal

Ave Sodalis

It seems that cancer suffers are no longer entitled to a discretionary medical card unless their illness is deemed terminal by a doctor.

Health Minister James Reilly has confirmed the applications and renewals for these cards now face new scrutiny and national eligibility criteria is being applied for the first time.

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/no-medical-cards-for-cancer-victims-unless-terminally-ill-29411902.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/non-terminal-cancer-patients-may-lose-medical-cards-236523.html

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/cancer-patients-will-no-longer-automatically-qualify-for-medical-cards-600188.html


Now, I don't know about you guys, but I think this is another terrible decision made by this government. It was my understanding that, if left, cancer can become terminal. So basically, if you can't afford to get your own cancer care, you could wait until you're terminal, although usually in these cases, you're too far gone to be treated.
I weep for this country sometimes...

SV

"not terminal? wait until it is, then we'll try and treat you"

what an absolute shambles of a decision.

lonestargirl

For non-medical card holders the cost of public care is: €750 a year for hospital admissions + up to €144 a month for medication. That's what your treatment would cost you.

charlietheminxx

Words fail me

Wacker The Attacker

Some people in this country need to take a very long and hard look at themselves in he mirror and not just the politicians.

Some people deem it necessary to ignore these problems until it affects them

SV

lonestargirl wrote: »

For non-medical card holders the cost of public care is: €750 a year for hospital admissions + up to €144 a month for medication. That's what your treatment would cost you.

Which makes this decision even more disgraceful.

That amount is a drop in the ocean for the government, but to a single person that can be a crippling amount of money and close to impossible to afford.

SureYWouldntYa

stay classy James Reilly, stay classy

Mrs Garth Brooks

Why are the banks more important than people with cancer? Christ

miller50841

Funny when the likes of a drug addict is handed everything you or me did not force them into that life or force them to stick that needle in them.

I really do hate this country and it's backwards ways.

I do believe in means testing for certain stuff but cancer I actually am steaming here I lost my mother and she received no help at all and this was back in 2002 and worked all her life and my dad worked all his till 65.

I remember her been left out on a trolley in A&E as there were no beds so she had the joy of sharing with the screaming drunks.
There was no help for us whatsoever.

Ave Sodalis

Considering we have the second highest cancer rate in the world after Denmark, this should, quite successfully, wipe out a far too high percentage of the population.

But sure, who cares, as long as the corrupt bankers and bondholders get their money :rolleyes:

1ZRed

Ffs things are bad when you can't even afford to have cancer

Janedoe10

lonestargirl wrote: »

For non-medical card holders the cost of public care is: €750 a year for hospital admissions + up to €144 a month for medication. That's what your treatment would cost you.

Plus GP costs as well . This swift move by mr Reilly is all part of Universal care . Bull .

JustAThought

Janedoe10 wrote: »

Plus GP costs as well . This swift move by mr Reilly is all part of Universal care . Bull .

Sickening.

However if you arrive off the boat, have never contributed or paid a penny in, dont worry if you're illegal you'll be " entitled" to a free medical card .

Un-f-ing believable.

Janedoe10

miller50841 wrote: »

Funny when the likes of a drug addict is handed everything you or me did not force them into that life or force them to stick that needle in them.

I really do hate this country and it's backwards ways.

I do believe in means testing for certain stuff but cancer I actually am steaming here I lost my mother and she received no help at all and this was back in 2002 and worked all her life and my dad worked all his till 65.

I remember her been left out on a trolley in A&E as there were no beds so she had the joy of sharing with the screaming drunks.
There was no help for us whatsoever.

I'm sorry that this has brought up memories of the hard time your mam had and for your family .

I do think as usual these ill thought moves by a so called caring professional ( GP that he is ) smacks of sick .

And why is it not getting more press coverage!

keelanj69

This doesn't bode well for other Long term illness sufferers. I'm currently on expensive medication (thanks everyone) that I'd be gone like a shot without if I lost a medical card because I'm finally under control.

Awful stuff.

Notorious97

Lol this country, never ceases to amaze me!

What do we need to do to get a decent politician who actually cares about ireland and its people?

Where will these mad decisions stop? This is absolutely disgraceful! So basically wait until you are told theres no treatment but heres a medical card for your troubles! Christ almighty

Wattle

'Oh it's terminal? Well here you go you won't be costing us much anyway'.

miller50841

There are a lot of Irish that only think about themselves and until something like this happens to them or someone close is the only time they will realize.

The only way the Irish will stand up is if the people on full benefits such as dole, house benfit, medical card and whatever else they receive have a cut because it seems to be that just have kids and your sorted for life once you don't work.

Janedoe10

My first plan of action is email http://www.dohc.ie/about_us/contact/custserv.html
There is a link for o Reilly's mail address as well . I'd suggest we all start doing it so that those ******* don't honestly think that this is ok .

April O Neill

This is crap.

My mum was very glad of that a few years ago. She was about as early stage 1 as you can get and it was a non-aggressive cancer, but you still need to get rid of it ASAP!

meoklmrk91

I know that we need to cut costs but targeting the sick and especially those who have cancer is just cruel, don't they have enough to be worrying about than covering the costs of their medical treatment?

Ave Sodalis

Janedoe10 wrote: »

My first plan of action is email http://www.dohc.ie/about_us/contact/custserv.html
There is a link for o Reilly's mail address as well . I'd suggest we all start doing it so that those ******* don't honestly think that this is ok .

Since writing my last comment, I've been drafting an email to him.

It's difficult though, to remain composed, when I seriously want to hit him. Refraining from insults is difficult

But as far as I can see they're still giving medical cards to people below a financial limit, and they're still giving cards to people dying of cancer, they're just reducing the amount of tip-toeing around the word cancer.

I think it would be great to give medical cards to all people with long term/serious illnesses, but if other people with non-terminal serious illnesses aren't getting cards, I can see why the government would take away cards given out to above-financial-threshold non-terminal cancer patients.

I do think cancer patients should get one, but I think that should be part of medical cards given across the board to people with similar illnesses. If the government can't afford that (which is a different issue - better prioritisation could make a huge difference to making that possible) then I can't see why favouritism would be given to one illness just because it has a lot of social stigma about being terminal.

And before I get any stick about not caring about cancer - I do, I've had a lot of it in the family, some who survived and some who didn't, and I'm a female in a long line of breast-cancer-suffering females, so I do get it. I just think that it's worth baring in mind the many other terrible, serious, long-term, non-terminal illnesses that are already in the status that non-terminal cancer is being considered as. Surely if we're going to fight for medical cards for cancer, we shouldn't be ignoring the many other illnesses that have never been deemed medical-card-worthy on the basis of the illness' names alone.

MickFleetwood

This makes my blood boil. Fúcking ridiculous stuff. Those who can't afford the care will have to wait until the illness is deemed terminal before they receive any treatment!?

Will simply lead to more unnecessary death and suffering in our society.

Svetti Arss

My 9 YO son has cancer. He was very near death by the time he was diagnosed and although he is well into his treatment there is no guarantee he will survive and it will be another 7 years at least before he can be declared cancer free if we are lucky.

We thought we had problems (Financial Etc..) but we were very wrong. Childhood cancer is not the same as adult cancer and its a ****ing nightmare. I have never seen children suffer so much in my life. 21 out of 25 children being treated in St. johns 5 years ago did not make it.

Reilly should take a stroll through St.Johns ward - deafness, blindness, and limbs amputated are not common occurrences but they do happen and these can be caused by the treatment rather then the cancer itself. My sons medical card is due to be renewed in 2 months. Great another ****ing thing to worry about. I am very very grateful for the treatment and care received in CCH but to this government we are just cells on a spreadsheet. They dont give a ****.

Janedoe10

true-or-false wrote: »

But as far as I can see they're still giving medical cards to people below a financial limit, and they're still giving cards to people dying of cancer, they're just reducing the amount of tip-toeing around the word cancer.

I think it would be great to give medical cards to all people with long term/serious illnesses, but if other people with non-terminal serious illnesses aren't getting cards, I can see why the government would take away cards given out to above-financial-threshold non-terminal cancer patients.

I do think cancer patients should get one, but I think that should be part of medical cards given across the board to people with similar illnesses. If the government can't afford that (which is a different issue - better prioritisation could make a huge difference to making that possible) then I can't see why favouritism would be given to one illness just because it has a lot of social stigma about being terminal.

And before I get any stick about not caring about cancer - I do, I've had a lot of it in the family, some who survived and some who didn't, and I'm a female in a long line of breast-cancer-suffering females, so I do get it. I just think that it's worth baring in mind the many other terrible, serious, long-term, non-terminal illnesses that are already in the status that non-terminal cancer is being considered as. Surely if we're going to fight for medical cards for cancer, we shouldn't be ignoring the many other illnesses that have never been deemed medical-card-worthy on the basis of the illness' names alone.

A neighbour here has had her illness benefit cut because she is well . She has MS ! , down 50 a week . A guy in the town here lost his arm in a boating accident , he was denied disability ? He was a plumber , it goes without saying they are appealing .
We all understand about the costs of health care but most of it is due to in efficiencies in the system , poor training , bad management .
It seems the policy now is pick from low hanging branches .

sup_dude

sup_dude wrote: »

Since writing my last comment, I've been drafting an email to him.

It's difficult though, to remain composed, when I seriously want to hit him. Refraining from insults is difficult

Ive been waiting two and a half years for a reply from him, so dont hold your breath people.

The man is a waste of skin

HurtLocker

I am confused. Where are our mighty legislators loving consciences gone?

keelanj69

HurtLocker wrote: »

I am confused. Where are our mighty legislators loving consciences gone?

Are you currently in a womans stomach?

Janedoe10

Janedoe10 wrote: »

A neighbour here has had her illness benefit cut because she is well . She has MS ! , down 50 a week . A guy in the town here lost his arm in a boating accident , he was denied disability ? He was a plumber , it goes without saying they are appealing .
We all understand about the costs of health care but most of it is due to in efficiencies in the system , poor training , bad management .
It seems the policy now is pick from low hanging branches .

Well as I said, looking at the healthcare budget on it's own their decision is somewhat (while ruthless) logical. But if you look at the state budget as a whole, I can't see why they can't prioritise healthcare to at least alleviate people's burden a bit across the board.

How much is the repaving of Grafton St. costing? The transport expenses for TDs? The security expenses for guests of the state (e.g. the Queen of England's visit)? Rather than pushing for cancer patients to keep their medical cards, surely it would be better to completely re-evaluate the treatment of the long-term ill in perspective with non-essential costs of the state?

mb1725

Reilly was the opportunist who made political hay out of the cervical screeening debacle to get himself elected. The Fine Gael manifesto boasted about the importance of early screening but now they don't give a toss about prevention until you are 'terminal'?

BerryBlue

Next they'll be saying, well actually your terminal and will probably die anyway, so no medical card for you...

TheChizler

Some people I've been talking to think that the medical card is being taken away if you get non-terminal cancer, but AFAIK it's just being removed from the list of exemptions where you could get it even if you wouldn't qualify for a card after means testing. If you qualify for a medical card for any other reason, be it low-income or otherwise, it will still cover you for non-terminal cancer treatment.

NegativeCreep

lonestargirl wrote: »

For non-medical card holders the cost of public care is: €750 a year for hospital admissions + up to €144 a month for medication. That's what your treatment would cost you.

That's way underestimated I think. My dad has to get hormone injections because of prostate cancer and that'd be 300 euro every month if he didn't have the medical card.

He'll be fecked now.

Ave Sodalis

TheChizler wrote: »

Some people I've been talking to think that the medical card is being taken away if you get non-terminal cancer, but AFAIK it's just being removed from the list of exemptions where you could get it even if you wouldn't qualify for a card after means testing. If you qualify for a medical card for any other reason, be it low-income or otherwise, it will still cover you for non-terminal cancer treatment.

Yes, but cancer treatment is costly and many people may not be able to afford it, even if they do not qualify for a medical card. This isn't just a simple trip to the doctor for a check up. This is possibly years worth of medical treatment, hospital bills, travel expenses... heck, it's difficult enough to survive cancer without having to worry whether or not you can afford it.

jhegarty

NegativeCreep wrote: »

That's way underestimated I think. My dad has to get hormone injections because of prostate cancer and that'd be 300 euro every month if he didn't have the medical card.

He'll be fecked now.

There is a €144 cap on drug costs , even if you don't have a medical card.

carzony

The only people this country cares about are the rich. I feel sick after reading the articles. How the likes of James Reilly, Enda kenny can sleep at night is beyond me.

This country really needs to start taking no BS from these politicians. Why no serious protesting has gone on is beyond me. 400,000 people unemployed and then add in all the sick people and you have a pretty good protest :D

NegativeCreep

jhegarty wrote: »

There is a €144 cap on drug costs , even if you don't have a medical card.

Ah, that I didn't know! Thank god for that!

UCDVet

I know this is a really sensitive topic and all, but, as much as it sucks we should try to be objective.

As horrific as it is to have something like cancer, if you run the numbers, how viable is it to provide everyone with top-notch care?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/03/22/alcohol-obesity-and-smoking-do-not-cost-health-care-systems-money/

Just as an example - and remember these are old numbers, for people who lived their entire life....we have more treatment options, more diagnostics tools, and all of it costs a lot more money.

From age 20 until death....
The lifetime costs were in Euros for a 'Healthy' person was 281,000. That's not someone with a serious medical condition, that's a healthy person. 281k euro.

How much does the median person earn in Ireland, in their lifetime? We're talking about working 40-50 years - with another 20 spent in retirement, and each of us that does work needs to set aside, on average, 281k just for our medical treatment.....collecting taxes and then using those funds to pay it doesn't magically make it cost less.

A typical worker needs to set aside 6.2k euro per year to cover those costs...and that's a really, really low number given skyrocketting healthcare costs and that not everyone works. And we're just talking about *one* aspect of services we want from our government.

It's really easy to say, 'Everyone should get amazing medical care, all the time, by highly trained professionals, without waiting...'; but the costs are huge. And when really get down to it, everything we spend has to come from somewhere. And the same people saying everyone should get medical care also think we should have top-notch education and transportation and garda/fire and everything else.

I know someone will respond and say, 'Well X get paid too much!' and I agree. But when you talk about it in percentages of the total budget most of the stuff we can all agree is waste...turns out to be relatively small.

And then someone else is going to say, 'Well, we spend X on Y and even though we get poor service, it's just the lazy, inefficient government screwing it up....' and I can mostly agree. But most of the time, when you really dig into it, there are real limitations behind these issues. The Garda don't take 40 minutes to respond because they are evil, lazy, cold-hearted people - they take 40 minutes to respond because they only have so many staff on hand and they have lots of calls to respond to. They take them as best as they can.

The tax burden for people in Ireland is already pretty high, and it's only getting worse from what I can gather. I can only fathom what the tax rates would be like if we were paying what it would cost to get the level of service people seem to expect.

TheChizler

sup_dude wrote: »

Yes, but cancer treatment is costly and many people may not be able to afford it, even if they do not qualify for a medical card. This isn't just a simple trip to the doctor for a check up. This is possibly years worth of medical treatment, hospital bills, travel expenses... heck, it's difficult enough to survive cancer without having to worry whether or not you can afford it.

Oh yeah I'm aware it's incredibly expensive, I was making that point against people who thought the card would be automatically torn up if you got cancer.

Ave Sodalis

UCDVet wrote: »

I know this is a really sensitive topic and all, but, as much as it sucks we should try to be objective.

As horrific as it is to have something like cancer, if you run the numbers, how viable is it to provide everyone with top-notch care?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/03/22/alcohol-obesity-and-smoking-do-not-cost-health-care-systems-money/

Just as an example - and remember these are old numbers, for people who lived their entire life....we have more treatment options, more diagnostics tools, and all of it costs a lot more money.

From age 20 until death....
The lifetime costs were in Euros for a 'Healthy' person was 281,000. That's not someone with a serious medical condition, that's a healthy person. 281k euro.

How much does the median person earn in Ireland, in their lifetime? We're talking about working 40-50 years - with another 20 spent in retirement, and each of us that does work needs to set aside, on average, 281k just for our medical treatment.....collecting taxes and then using those funds to pay it doesn't magically make it cost less.

A typical worker needs to set aside 6.2k euro per year to cover those costs...and that's a really, really low number given skyrocketting healthcare costs and that not everyone works. And we're just talking about *one* aspect of services we want from our government. Just one.

It's really easy to say, 'Everyone should get amazing medical care, all the time, by highly trained professionals, without waiting...'; but the costs are huge. And when really get down to it, everything we spend has to come from somewhere. And the same people saying everyone should get medical care also think we should have top-notch education and transportation and garda/fire and everything else.

I know someone will respond and say, 'Well X get paid too much!' and I agree. But when you talk about it in percentages of the total budget most of the stuff we can all agree is waste...turns out to be relatively small.

And then someone else is going to say, 'Well, we spend X on Y and even though we get poor service, it's just the lazy, inefficient government screwing it up....' and I can mostly agree. But most of the time, when you really dig into it, there are real limitations behind these issues. The Garda don't take 40 minutes to respond because they are evil, lazy, cold-hearted people - they take 40 minutes to respond because they only have so many staff on hand and they have lots of calls to respond to. They take them as best as they can.

The tax burden for people in Ireland is already pretty high, and it's only getting worse from what I can gather. I can only fathom what the tax rates would be like if we were paying what it would cost to get the level of service people seem to expect.

You're a vet, you'll not have to worry :P

Anyway, with regard to the above, I would not mind paying higher taxes if I knew that the money from those taxes are going back into the country, mainly through education and healthcare. These are two of the most important aspects in a country. I think, we would do well taking a leaf out of Holland's book.

wil

Svetti Arss wrote: »

My 9 YO son has cancer. He was very near death by the time he was diagnosed and although he is well into his treatment there is no guarantee he will survive and it will be another 7 years at least before he can be declared cancer free if we are lucky.

We thought we had problems (Financial Etc..) but we were very wrong. Childhood cancer is not the same as adult cancer and its a ****ing nightmare. I have never seen children suffer so much in my life. 21 out of 25 children being treated in St. johns 5 years ago did not make it.

Reilly should take a stroll through St.Johns ward - deafness, blindness, and limbs amputated are not common occurrences but they do happen and these can be caused by the treatment rather then the cancer itself. My sons medical card is due to be renewed in 2 months. Great another ****ing thing to worry about. I am very very grateful for the treatment and care received in CCH but to this government we are just cells on a spreadsheet. They dont give a ****.

I absolutely feel for you, childhood cancer is just plain sh1tty, there's no other words for it.

It's one thing for someone who has lived their life to be struck down, it's something else when an entire family is knocked off their feet and their lives blown apart by a child's diagnosis, someone who should have their whole life ahead of them and you are there to protect. It is hard enough to hold it together and keep down a job without having to worry about money to treat these most precious people in the world.
I've been there and that's enough about me.
(Before you read on, I am aware of a new cancer ward opened just very recently funded mostly by the same people who needed it)

But then you are shown the indignity of that ward they call St Johns, a cruel remnant of the wards from the 1950s, small dingy, cramped, at the far end of Crumlin, forgotten, where nobody goes unless they have received the worst news in the world.

But the consultants, good and all as they were, had their offices in that shiny glass tower, built as long as I remember. That got funding long ago.

I had the home phone numbers of some of the top paediatric oncologists in the world, and their time given freely, but for our own local consultants, their secretaries or liaison nurses are the only conduits for communication.

We have a mixed up and confused self loathing medical system which time and again been shown to have massive failings and successive ministers have put the wrong people first.

I have the utmost respect for those at the frontline of this most difficult profession, the nurses, doctors, therapists, etc who themselves are frustrated and unheard because they are too busy doing what they signed up for, their job.
Administrators, accountants and politicians rarely here the cries of children.

If O'Reilly had worked the wards day to day in St Johns rather than a surgery in Lusk and benefiting from tax breaks on his 13 bed stately home, and involvements in nursing homes he might now be putting a little more interest in those most deserving of a very, very small break.:mad:

SandraRomain

That just makes me sad I know how hard it is to live your last days living with cancer and all the medical care that patients receive is expensive but that is just new low for me.

Hank Scorpio

If this was any other country the bank henchmen and politicians who caused this mess would have been hung out to dry a long time ago. Bertie Ahern still walks about freely with his smug grin ffs. At least Greece had the balls to retaliate. Us Irish, myself included are far too soft for our own good, it allows the corruptness of our Government and overall backwardness of the way things are operated in this country to continue

Ah but sure, it`ll be grand. Those Fianna Fail **** can rot in hell, nothing but beady eyed money whoring con men, Fine Gael aren't doing much better, incredibly ruthless disgusting decision

apollo8

UCDVet wrote: »

I know this is a really sensitive topic and all, but, as much as it sucks we should try to be objective.

As horrific as it is to have something like cancer, if you run the numbers, how viable is it to provide everyone with top-notch care?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/03/22/alcohol-obesity-and-smoking-do-not-cost-health-care-systems-money/

Just as an example - and remember these are old numbers, for people who lived their entire life....we have more treatment options, more diagnostics tools, and all of it costs a lot more money.

From age 20 until death....
The lifetime costs were in Euros for a 'Healthy' person was 281,000. That's not someone with a serious medical condition, that's a healthy person. 281k euro.

How much does the median person earn in Ireland, in their lifetime? We're talking about working 40-50 years - with another 20 spent in retirement, and each of us that does work needs to set aside, on average, 281k just for our medical treatment.....collecting taxes and then using those funds to pay it doesn't magically make it cost less.

A typical worker needs to set aside 6.2k euro per year to cover those costs...and that's a really, really low number given skyrocketting healthcare costs and that not everyone works. And we're just talking about *one* aspect of services we want from our government.

It's really easy to say, 'Everyone should get amazing medical care, all the time, by highly trained professionals, without waiting...'; but the costs are huge. And when really get down to it, everything we spend has to come from somewhere. And the same people saying everyone should get medical care also think we should have top-notch education and transportation and garda/fire and everything else.

I know someone will respond and say, 'Well X get paid too much!' and I agree. But when you talk about it in percentages of the total budget most of the stuff we can all agree is waste...turns out to be relatively small.

And then someone else is going to say, 'Well, we spend X on Y and even though we get poor service, it's just the lazy, inefficient government screwing it up....' and I can mostly agree. But most of the time, when you really dig into it, there are real limitations behind these issues. The Garda don't take 40 minutes to respond because they are evil, lazy, cold-hearted people - they take 40 minutes to respond because they only have so many staff on hand and they have lots of calls to respond to. They take them as best as they can.

The tax burden for people in Ireland is already pretty high, and it's only getting worse from what I can gather. I can only fathom what the tax rates would be like if we were paying what it would cost to get the level of service people seem to expect.

TLDR version UCDVet tries to justify this outrageous cutback.

The Aussie

Is James Reilly not breaking the Hippocratic Oath by bringing in this new one???

Crap Doctor who bears a resemblance to another Doctor, a young Dr Harold Shipman.

pow wow

My dad is in recent remission (fingers crossed) from aggressive leukemia but still on weekly chemotherapy and got a letter a few weeks ago saying he'd been selected for a 'random' medical card review....you can guess what happened. To say he and my mother are distraught is putting it very mildly, and to be honest a little bit of honesty from the HSE wouldn't have gone astray. Making them jump through hoops filling out form after form, getting letters from Revenue, consultants, their GP, anyone else you can think of etc. at their age knowing full well they were going to take it away (they had gotten the medical card on illness grounds, not income) is what makes my blood boil. The money isn't there anymore, I get that, and my parents are lucky that they will be able to fund the treatment for now. But this underhanded way of withdrawing the cards is truly disgusting.

clairefontaine

Does this apply to children too?

professore

jhegarty wrote: »

There is a €144 cap on drug costs , even if you don't have a medical card.

Not all drugs are covered though, they have to be approved first. For example the MS drug Tysabri - one of the very few that actually works - is not covered.

apollo8

apollo8 wrote: »

TLDR version UCDVet tries to justify this outrageous cutback.

I'm sure that if you actually had any logical argument against anything he/she said, you'd have said that rather than just trying to shame the poster.

There's a lot of sensitivity about cancer - the word itself, because so many people have been affected by it, either through having it, or through loved ones having it. It used to be a near death sentence, but now there are far larger chances of survival for certain types if caught at the right time. Two of my aunts have survived breast cancer, one of them had to do it twice. I'm expecting test results next Monday, and the main thing I'm worried about is being told I have cancer.

But that's where the term "The Big C" comes from - the tip toeing that goes around that scary word. But realistically can you justify stretching already exhausted resources for cancer, while patients with other non-terminal serious illnesses don't get such help?

RiverOfLove

I know a couple who have a child with a disability and from the outside looking in it might appear with two working parents that would be able to afford medical for the child. When a baby the child got a medical card and without they would be fcuked.

I know its different from cancer but still on the same page.

This new thing described in the op will catch many people mainly those working on low incomes, who don't qualify for a medical card and can't afford insurance and a trip to the doctor or the dentist is enough to break the bank.