Uninsured Man Robs Bank for $1 to Get Access to Medical Care via Prison

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to yet another example of what it's like for the working poor in America in 2011. Naturally if you've been following this site for some time you'll know, that unemployment if high, there are millions still uninsured as health care costs continue to rise, and most importantly, the government doesn't give a damn. Or, they don't give the impression that they do, whilr attempting to convince us otherwise.

So what's a person in need of medical care to do while wealthy politicians sit around and squabble over cutting necessary services for poor folk and also Medicare & Medicaid? Well, I'll leave that up to you because only you can determine your level of desperation. However, meet Richard James Verone, and check out what he did about his situation, and what he did about his need for medical attention, Clearly his is an example of American ingenuity, that can do spirit, and all out desperation. Or simply put: a man doing what he has to do:

STON, N.C -- A North Carolina man suffering from an undiagnosed growth on his chest and two ruptured disks walked into an RBC bank and handed a note to a teller demanding $1. He then sat by the door and waited for police to arrive.

Richard James Verone says he needs medical attention and hoped that by getting arrested, he would have access to health care in prison.

"I'm sort of a logical person and that was my logic, what I came up with," Verone told WCNC. "If it is called manipulation, then out of necessity because I need medical care, then I guess I am manipulating the courts to get medical care."

Three years ago, Verone was laid off from Coca-Cola after 17 years on the job. He says he has had part-time work since then, but nothing with health insurance.

He is hoping for a three-year sentence, enough time to collect social security and obtain the medical help he requires, Verone says.

"If you don't have your health, you don't have anything," he says.

The 59-year-old was unarmed at the time of the incident.

He is being charged with larceny and is held on a $2,000 bond. He will appear in court June 28. (source)

Lemme tell you, as a person who for the last four years has struggled with major health issues for the last four years, I empathize heavily with what this man has done. For the past four years I've struggled to deal with complications from 17yrs of diabetes with my eyes. And as I've mentioned before, at one point and for a very long time I was legally blind. Most important to note, is that I dealt with this while having insurance, as well as without having any. And to understand where I'm coming from, I've had at least six surgical procedures done dur8ng this time. Yep, and I have the bills to prove it, by God.

Check out Ricard's jailhouse interview:



With 2012 being an election year, Democrats are going to try to convince us that the Health Care Reform bill was the best thing for America, while Republicans attack it. Hopefully someone will be audacious by asking just how are people going to be able to afford coverage wityhout jobs as costs continue to ricse? No seriously, where is the jobs bill, and why hasn't health care reform controlled cost? Surely our wealthy elected officials will have honest answers...


I'm currently insured, and after surgery a few months ago, I'm no longer legally blind. However, within recent weeks I've developed some complications, and it looks like I'll be having more surgery. You might say it's a good thing I'm insured this time around, unlike Richard. But lemme tell you something: being insured today since the passage of the much debated Affordable Care Act, at least for me, has been much like not being insured. My premiums have increased, and to be honest, I'm getting less bang for my buck. Let's just say that since my last procedure and having paid out-of-pocket a total of $2500 in advance, I'm still being billed for a considerably exorbitant amount of money. Before heal care reform? No such problem. So tell me, who's winning and who's losing in this sham that is the American health care system?

Surely it isn't consumers or even people like Richard who represent the uninsured. You know, the people waiting for the Affordable Care Act to kick in so they too can pay out of their asses like myself and so many others are doing currently? You know, the people for whom having health insurance is a necessity? Or dare I say a life or death decision? Which is really what it is, because here in America where health care isn't seen as a right, you can best believe that having a hangnail while uninsured means certain death. That is, unless you're enterprising, brave, and willing to commit a crime to be able to access medical care via a prison cell. Hey might as well since they seem to be more concerned about lovking people up these days.