Blink-182’s Hoppus Pens Op-Ed Piece on Health Care

October 22nd, 2009 by Daniel Kreps Leave a reply »

Photo: Kovac/FilmMagic

Blink-182 bassist-singer Mark Hoppus has penned an op-ed piece for the Huffington Post demanding that the United States government figure out a way to give health care coverage to all Americans. Hoppus was inspired by Ali Vattar, a caterer on Blink’s recent reunion tour who required emergency surgery to remove her appendix two months into the trip. After leaving the hospital, Vattar told Hoppus she was uninsured, and that her bills following the procedure totaled $48,000. We’d recommend he read Matt Taibbi’s recent story on the issue: Sick and Wrong.

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“My initial reaction was disbelief. Why would you not have insurance? Especially while on tour? Turns out I was asking the wrong question. The real question is: Why are you unable to get insurance,” Hoppus writes. The bassist soon found out that due to preexisting conditions, nearly all insurance companies rejected Vattar. To raise money to pay off her hospital bills, Vattar started a Website, the Ali Vattar Matter, where Blink fans can donate money. Hoppus has promised to match every dollar fans donate until the bill is paid. Still, Hoppus questions why there was a bill at all, especially when millions are living without coverage.

“Every day, while our elected officials and corporations argue over the best way to fix the problem of health care in America, more people like Ali are falling through the cracks, into bankruptcy and inadequate care,” Hoppus writes in conclusion. “Mr. President, members of congress, hospitals, doctors, and insurance companies, there has to be a better way. When a person’s best option to pay for health care is to take to the internet and ask for small donations from strangers, bold changes need to be made.”

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Article Source: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily

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