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The significance of the Miami man who feared he might have coronavirus
To his credit, Osmel Martinez Azcue recognized the public-health concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, and given his symptoms and his recent China visit, he felt like the responsible thing to do was check himself into one of Miami's largest hospitals (Jackson Memorial). This is, of course, what we'd expect anyone in his position to do.
The hospital staff followed the proper protocols, took the necessary precautions, and put Azcue in a closed-off room. Fortunately, blood work found that he simply had the flu. The medical teams stood down and Azcue was discharged.
So why did this story generate national attention? A couple of reasons.
Let's start with the fact that Azcue ended up with expensive medical bills, not because he's uninsured, but because he has what the
Miami Herald charitably described as a "very limited insurance plan." Or put another way, he has one of the "junk plans" the Affordable Care Act tried to eliminate, but which Donald Trump and his team are quite fond of. Consumers are attracted to the low costs of these coverage plans, right up until they get sick.
In Azcue's case, within weeks of being sent home, he started receiving thousands of dollars in medical bills -- with more likely on the way, because he was treated by some out-of-network physicians -- in addition to instructions on his medical history. Azcue's private insurer wanted him to prove that his flu wasn't related to a pre-existing condition.
Again, "Obamacare" made sure that Americans couldn't be punished for having pre-existing conditions, but under Trump's junk plans, those consumer protections are gutted.
When the White House insists the president champions those with pre-existing conditions, keep this story in mind.
As for the other angle of interest, what happens when the coronavirus outbreak spreads in the United States and many Americans -- who are either uninsured or under-insured -- avoid seeking medical care because they're concerned about bills they can't afford?