Cold Hearted: Cancer Survivor Gets Told By NC Senator Staffer That If She Can't Afford It She Can't Get Cancer Treatment & Should Figure It Out!
A three-time cancer survivor who reached out to U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis for help with her health insurance dilemma said that she got an insensitive response from a staffer instead.
"I’ve seen just about everything health care has to throw at a person," said Bev Veals of Carolina Beach.
Over the past 20 years, Veals beat cancer three times, and her fight included struggles to get care and medical bankruptcy.
When her husband was furloughed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, Veals worried about losing her health insurance, so she reached out to lawmakers for help.
"I wanted answers because the thought of having no health care and possibly getting sick with COVID is extremely frightening," she said recently.
During Veals' calls, she came across a Washington, D.C., staffer for Tillis. Frustrated by his lack of empathy, she started recording her calls.
"You’re saying that, if you can’t afford it, you don’t get to have it, and that includes health care?" she asked.
"Yeah, just like if I want to go to the store and buy a new dress shirt. If I can’t afford that dress shirt, I don’t get to get it," he replied.
"But health care is something that people need, especially if they have cancer," Veals said.
"Well, you got to find a way to get it," he responded. Posted by Abdul