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The INDEPENDENT, April 15, 2010
The
INDEPENDENT
Published on the first and third Thursdays of each month by
The Independent, LLC, 725 Bridge St., Vernonia, OR 97064.
Phone/Fax: 503-429-9410.
Publisher Clark McGaugh, clark@the-independent.net
Editor Rebecca McGaugh, rebecca@the-independent.net
Mentor Noni Andersen
Printed on recycled paper with vegetable based dyes
Opinion
What is small town charity?
Charity is sometimes considered begging for a handout.
Some people even refuse charity. Refusing to take or give
charity is the same as refusing to take or give love, since the
essence of charity is love of humanity. Doesn’t sound so bad
put that way, does it?
One of the great things about living in a small community
is the ability to see results when you set out to help some-
one. The community of Vernonia came together to help Dar-
rold Mushatt get the money he needed for a new kidney.
There were fund raising concerts, articles in this paper, and
jars set out at local businesses. People knew they were
helping when they pitched in their spare change, and often
more than that. One young lady brought the fund raising to
an end by raising thousands of dollars and finding an anony-
mous donor to give, too. She did this as a part of her senior
project. How many of us can say we helped save a life at
such a young age?
This wasn’t the first fund raiser for someone in our com-
munities. It won’t be the last. There have been many. In fact,
there was one last weekend for a stroke victim in Vernonia
who needs help with medical expenses. Before that, there
was a young man hurt in a logging accident who needed fi-
nancial support. And, many received help in the form of
wood to heat with or help to rebuild after the last flood. In
larger communities, like Portland, people need help and get
it from friends and family, church groups, community organ-
izations, etc. just like here. The difference in a small town is
that you can see the recipient of your generosity on the
street, know that person also drives down Bridge Street to
get wherever they may go, shops where you do, visits the
same library – there just is a connection that’s missing in
larger towns.
Charity takes many forms; it’s giving money to the local
food bank, stopping your car when there is someone cross-
ing the street (don’t be in such a hurry, please), letting young
people wash your car as a fund raiser, donating your cans
and bottles to school kids.
The answer to the question, “What is small town charity?”
is “Small town charity is big-hearted love.”
More ways to help others
Other events coming up where you can show your gen-
erosity through time or monetary donations include; Make
Vernonia Shine (new this year are booths on sustainability,
such as composting and recycling) on April 17. The Banks
Community Auction is on April 24. There’s Bingo and Pizza
in Banks tomorrow night, too.
Please vote in the May 18 election.
Out of My Mind…
by Noni Andersen
Have you or a family
member recently been in
the hospital? Here is a
friend’s experience with a
trip to the emergency
room and an overnight
stay in a Portland hospital
because of a suspected
heart attack.
The care was excellent,
the ambulance crew deliv-
ered her to the emergency room in midafternoon
with intravenous fluids and cardiac monitors in
place. The ER crew took over, changing to a
more comprehensive cardiac monitor. After a
doctor’s examination, a hematologist arrived to
draw blood for lab tests.
After a couple more hours of continued moni-
toring, a chest x-ray, examinations by two doc-
tors, and no obvious answer about the symp-
toms’ cause, she was admitted to the hospital
overnight so more testing could be done.
The IV and cardiac monitors continued
overnight; the next day a skilled technician
brought equipment to her room for an echocar-
diogram (an ultrasound look at the heart). She
also took a treadmill stress test and, after every-
thing had been evaluated, a cardiac specialist
made his second visit to her room.
Regardless of the equipment and skills that
had been applied, they still couldn’t explain what
caused the problem. She was released.
The bill for the ambulance was $886.32. The
hospital bill totaled $6,892.63. Of the combined
total, $7,778.95, this patient was responsible for
only $200 because she is covered by Medicare
and a supplemental policy for which she pays
$99.00 per month.
Why all of this boring detail? Because there is
a more important question: What if this patient
had been an unemployed, uninsured 55 or 60
year-old who couldn’t pay the $7,778.95?
Here are some frequently used options:
A.) Without a tentative diagnosis, she would
not be kept overnight for further monitoring and
testing, which would reduce the bill.
B.) She would receive the same care and the
cost would be the same.
C.) The hospital would discount the bill as
much as possible, but it would still be more than
the patient could afford.
Regardless of these, or any other options, the
costs that a patient can’t afford result in higher in-
surance premiums for everyone who has health
insurance. Whether you buy individual insurance
or are covered in a group plan, part of your pre-
miums help pay the cost of health care for those
who are uninsured.
When you understand this basic part of Amer-
ican health care, then you will understand why
mandatory health insurance, combined with
some subsidies and regulations, will start lower-
ing health insurance premiums for everyone.
Additionally, those without health insurance
get little preventive care, making them far more
likely to need expensive emergency care.
The health care bill just passed is not ade-