Bob CollinsThe nation’s health insurance system seems to have played a role in the death of a school teacher in Texas who balked at the copay for the medicine that might have saved her life.
Heather Holland, a second grade teacher, held off getting a prescription filled for anti-viral drugs because of the copay: $116.
She died Sunday morning from the flu.
She saw a doctor for it a couple of weeks ago but delayed picking up the prescription, her husband said.
By the time he found out and bought it himself, it was too late.
“Friday night, things escalated and she ended up in the ICU,” her husband said. “The doctors got the blood cultures back and they had to put her on dialysis early Saturday.”
“She wouldn’t go get medicine because she’s a mama. Mama’s are tough,” her pastor told a local TV station. “She just kept going. She had a job; she had kids. Frank was going to be out of town for a day or two. I think any mom does that. I don’t think she is being irresponsible. I don’t think she thought she was that sick. It happened so quick.”
