Reply
Tue 13 Oct, 2009 05:31 pm
If they treat her this way, there must be many others just like her that we don't know about.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
By Rucks Russell / 11 News
HOUSTON"A cancer patient in the last throws of fighting her disease is now fighting to keep her power on, and believes without it she will die.
“I’m fighting for my life and I thought people at the power company would help me,” said Mable Randon, who’s confined to a wheelchair and an electrically-powered oxygen machine.
Randon received a cutoff notice after falling behind on her bills. So she applied to CenterPoint Energy’s “Critical Care Program”, which tries to maintain service for people who depend on electrically-powered life support systems.
“I just thought they’d make some kind of exception for me,” she said.
But CenterPoint rejected her application saying she failed to meet the criteria.
Alicia Dixon, a CenterPoint spokesperson, said Randon could have purchased a battery-powered alternative oxygen machine. She also said the critical customer care program has thousands of applicants, and only 300 of them have been accepted.
“This program is a communication program, not a guarantee of uninterrupted power, even to customers who are on the list,” Dixon said.
The explanation is hard to digest to a cancer patient struggling for breath and life.
“They have no consideration for life. It’s just like they don’t care,” said Randon.
@edgarblythe,
Because some Americans fear that guaranteed national healthcare will result in "Government Death Panels" we will have to accept the continuation of our current system that consists of "Corporate Death Panels".
The lady is correct - they don't care, and neither do a large swash of Americans who don't want their precious tax money spent on helping sick people like her.
In a world of haves and have nots, the have nots are generally expected to roll over and die. In the case in question, people will have their heart strings tugged and the woman will get a reprieve. I believe somebody will donate to her cause and keep the power on. As I mentioned at the top, we only hear of a chosen number of these folks.
I watched a mini-documentary the other day about a family whose 17 year old daughter died after being denied a liver transplant. The proceedure was deemed "too experimental". The mother, father and a batallion of nurses went to the insurance company's head quarters and asked for answers. The police were called. A company employee on a balcony gave them the finger.
God. It was awful.
This is a family that had insurance and had paid their premiums for ever and ever.
The "haves" are victims of this crap too.
Whoa, let's get the whole story, first.
What is the "criteria" that she failed to meet at this agency? Income level? Past due too large?
This story is meant to break your heart, but there's always another side.
After working for a non profit agency for 9 years that provided food, clothing and financial aid to families in need, I have heard it all. And there is ALWAYS the other side of the story.
I knew this person would get help.
HOUSTON" Hundreds of 11 News viewers and khou.com readers came forward to offer help to a cancer patient who's been fighting to keep her power on, even as she fights to say alive.
We’ve learned Freedom Power has a lengthy history of problems. The electric service provider tops a complaint list of retail energy companies in the state.
The list is compiled by the Texas Public Utilities Commission, who Wednesday placed a hold on the disconnection request while launching an investigation into the company’s handling of the case.
Freedom Power’s president says the complaints are troubling. “We’re very concerned and are doing our best to address customer’s needs,” added Penny Barfield
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace