Activist and ALS advocate Ady Barkan has lost the ability to speak audibly — but his call for Medicare for All brought this hearing to a standstill.
» Subscribe to NowThis:
Ady Barkan: 'Never before have I given a speech without my natural voice. Never before have I had to rely on a synthetic voice to lay out my arguments, convey my most passionately held beliefs, tell the details of my personal story. Three years ago, Rachel and I felt like we had reached the mountaintop. We had fulfilling careers, a wonderful community of friends and family, and a smiling, chubby infant boy. We could see decades of happiness stretching out before us. The sun was shining and there was not a cloud in sight. And then, out of the clear, blue sky, we were struck by lightning: ALS, a mysterious neurological disease with no cure and no good treatment, a life expectancy of 3 to 4 years. Most of its victims are in their 50s and 60s. I was 32. Every month since my diagnosis, my motor neurons have died out, my muscles have disintegrated, and I have become increasingly paralyzed. I am speaking to you through this computer because my diaphragm and tongue are simply not up to the task. Although my story is tragic, it is not unique. 10% of Americans have a serious disability. Every family is eventually confronted with serious illness or accidents. On the day we are born, and on the day we die, and on so many days in between, all of us need Medicare, and yet in this country, the wealthiest in the history of human civilization, we do not have an effective, or fair, or rational system for delivering that care. The ugly truth is this: health care is not treated as a human right in the United States of America. This fact is outrageous and it is far past time that we change it. Say it loud for the people in the back, health care is a human right. For my family, although we have comparatively good private health insurance, ALS now means paying out-of-pocket for almost 24-hour home care. This costs us $9,000 every month. The alternative is for me to go on Medicare and move into a nursing home away from my wife and my son. So we are cobbling together the money from friends, and family, and supporters from all over the country. But this is an absurd way to run a health care system. GoFundMe is a terrible substitute for smart, congressional action. Like so many others, Rachel and I have had to fight with our insurer, which has issued outrageous denials instead of covering the benefits we paid for. We have so little time left together, and yet our system forces us to waste it dealing with bills and bureaucracy. That is why I am here today, urging you to build a more rational, fair, efficient, and effective system. I am here today to urge you to enact Medicare for all.'
#AdyBarkan #Healthcare #Congress #MedicareforAll
Connect with NowThis
» Like us on Facebook:
» Tweet us on Twitter:
» Follow us on Instagram:
» Find us on Snapchat Discover:
NowThis is your premier news outlet providing you with all the videos you need to stay up to date on all the latest in trending news. From entertainment to politics, to viral videos and breaking news stories, we’re delivering all you need to know straight to your social feeds. We live where you live.
@nowthisnews
Medicare for all! Freedom and liberty for all!
God Bless this man. Health Care is a Human Right. It should not be a business.
Alex Saldana im going to make this a sticker and tshirt and a hat
No one’s god is helping, people need to fix this.
I swear if anyone dislikes this video they literally have no soul if a soul were to exist. The fact that we keep saying that we don’t need Medicare For All and keep asking how we are going to pay for it, forget the fact you have businesses who dodge paying taxes, and all the tax cuts that are still given to the rich. No one, and I mean no one, as seen that money besides the top earners. So stop beating around the bush and get to the task at hand: Health Insurance for all. I dont mind paying more in taxes if it means saving more money in the long run.
When he smiled on “say it louder for the people in the back” my heart just melted.
Thing is conservatives don’t care and would prefer this suffer over being helped
*GOP doesn’t care. THEY won’t change. so we, the ppl, NEED TO CHANGE THEM. VOTE THEM OUT!*
their allegiance is to big money. get money out of politics. we can do it.
Yes vote them out
Ben Shapiro and his fans disliked this video because it didn’t equate healthcare with shopping for furniture at IKEA.
Did you watched Ben Shapiro’s videos as to why he made the comparison? The guy has a point.
+Jazvelyn Ruiz – “Did you WATCHED Ben Shapiro’s videos as to why he made the comparison? The guy has a point.” Yes, I WATCHED the videos, and he makes very stupid points. Comparing human life with furniture is a false equivalency and it’s embarrassing that the richest nation on Earth has a worse healthcare system than most countries.
Stevie84s I did. Who’s going to be paying the doctors, the staff, medical equipment, not to mention the maintenance, medication, and hospital bills in exchange for free health care? We’re already paying high taxes as it is.
Stevie84s There’s also another video called “The Problem Of “Free” Health Care” by Yaron who explains great detail as well.
People need to tell their representatives. If you aint gonna work towards universal healthcare. Dont even think about getting a vote
How do Americans not understand the current healthcare system is rigged to make pharmaceutical companies and private healthcare industry profit. While they make billions in profit they deny people like this healthcare even though he paid into it. How could you possibly rationally and morally defend the current system? In the past I have heard how are we going to pay for Medicare for all? But the same people never ask how we’re paying to be in eight offensive profit mongering wars on the taxpayers dime that way exceed the cost of what Medicare for all would cost
Medicare-for-All would also be cheaper for the American people than what they already pay. Without insurance parasites, with negotiations for drug prices and laws prohibiting price gouging all around, it would cost even less.
America needs to deprivatize The healthcare industry the prison industry the military, education and all other aspects of our society that shouldn’t allow people and companies to profit off such things.
“bUT mUh that WilL bE SoCiAlisM” random trump supporter screams out loudly.
+Mahir Shahriyar That’s when people should just say, “…and?”
They will flip all the way out. They’ll probably start foaming at the mouth in anger, because it didn’t work. The entirety of their so-called “argument” hinges on the fact that people will emotionally react to the word “socialism.” There is no rational thought to be found. Once that big, scary word loses its power over people, nothing will stand in the way of progress anymore.
The good thing is that right-wingers use that word for anything they don’t like. Even when it is not even remotely socialist. They called Obama socialist, which is hilarious. So, eventually, it won’t mean anything anymore. It will just be some word that Republicans throw around to scare other Republicans. We will be free from its restriction on the American psyche, and the world will be better off for it. Can’t wait.
The fact that we’re having to fight so passionately for something that makes so much sense is disheartening. This story is just outright tragic
HEALTH CARE IS A RIGHT!
and Trump would respond to him by saying “bUt tHaT’s SoCiALiSm”
I wanted to find sthg witty to say about this but I just can’t. This is beyond sad and outrageous. Respect and love to this person and his family.
When at the end he said that him and his family have soo little time left together, but instead of spending it together they have to deal with bills and bureaucracy..
It broke my heart .
This man has summarized it better than any person I’ve heard talk about this. GO FUND ME is a terrible substitute indeed. God bless this man and his family.
“Oh well, you should have planned for it.” -Conservative Republicans with “family values.”
2017 : Trump : *ill be the greatest president and all of america’s people will believe it.*
2019 : Health care is not treated as a basic human rights … Still.
2 years 5 months….still no solution to health care. But this President’s initial acts were abolishing Obama Care. Doing nothing to tax cuts and nose diving into his own personal issues.