Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. Forced To Sell Luxury Townhouse To Pay Medical Bills

[eridani]

http://www.yourblackworld.net/2012/09/black-news/rep-jesse-jackson-jr-forced-to-sell-luxury-townhouse-to-pay-medical-bills/

In a statement released by Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr.'s chief of staff, Rick Bryant, Rep. Jackson and his wife have made the decision to sell their townhouse in Washington D.C. to defray medical expenses Jackson has acquired for his depression and bipolar disorders. "Like millions of Americans, Congressman Jackson and Mrs. Jackson are grappling with soaring health care costs and are selling their residence to help defray costs of their obligations," the statement read. "The congressman would like to personally thank everyone who has offered prayers on behalf of his family." Jackson aides could not say how much, if any, of the expenses are covered under his health insurance plan.

Comment by Don McCanne of PNHP: Those who say repeatedly that everyone should have the same health care coverage as members of Congress should check with Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. He is losing his Washington, D.C. townhouse because of medical bills.

Other than the statement released by his chief of staff, we don't know any of the details, and we shouldn't since common decency dictates that we respect his privacy.

We could speculate on the great many potential factors that might be involved as to why a member of Congress faces a financial hardship due to medical bills, but we won't, even though many come to mind. We'll merely state that we need a health care financing system that removes financial barriers to care - for everyone. A properly designed single payer national health program would do that.

[cali]

1. Are we sure that it's medical bills that are forcing them to sell?

He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and people in a manic phase often exhibit extravagant behavior.

[eridani]

2. His wife doesn't have bipolar disorder

For a member of Congress, this is a surprise--though federal workers at lowver pay scales have trouble with medical bills, as they can't afford the more generous plans.

[cali]

4. What does his wife not having bipolar disorder have to do with it?

people who have the disorder and have spent extravagantly may try to hide it our of embarrassment and those close to them have been known to aid them in that. It could be that his plan didn't cover all of the time that he spent at Mayo or it could be some other factor that is forcing them to sell.

[Maine-ah]

6. my father did that when when I was a kid

he passed away 17 years ago, and my Mom told me about most of this after. She and my older siblings were pretty sure he was bipolar - as the youngest I missed much of it. Anyway...

He managed to take a second mortgage out on our home, forging my Mother's signature and purchased a 28' sail boat. There were many other things that he did, hiding his money, making crazy purchases - slept with a couple of his students, (high school) - those were his "highs" - his lows were really bad. Suicide, threats of leaving my Mom, actually leaving my Mom a couple of times - packing weird stuff in the process, etc..

[eridani]

7. Assuming the house was in both of their names

Why would she let him get by with this?

[originalpckelly]

5. To begin, someone with bipolar disorder once well treated does not always exhibit symptoms.

I would be one of those people, thanks to a medicine that has very few side effects on me.

Perhaps it could have to do with the high cost of psych meds to treat the disease properly?

Unless he is seriously fucked in the head, he's probably like most folks out there.

[Zalatix]

3. Truer words were rarely ever spoken. K&R!