Chesnutt's Death Highlights Need for Healthcare Reform

The Christmas day suicide of Vic Chesnutt, reportedly despondent over healthcare bills he couldn't pay and operations he could not afford, came one day after the Senate vote to create universal healthcare, highlighting the failings of America's for-profit healthcare system. 

Chesnutt discussed his problems with his medical bills in this, earlier L.A. Times article: 

“But there’s an albatross that follows Chesnutt from the door of his home to every show he plays. Though he’s currently insured, an accumulating stream of nearly $70,000 worth of unpaid hospital bills is threatening to swallow much of his livelihood as a songwriter. It’s left him in an unprecedented condition — one where he’s at a loss for words.

“I’m not too eloquent talking about these things,” Chesnutt said. “I was making payments, but I can’t anymore and I really have no idea what I’m going to do. It seems absurd they can charge this much. When I think about all this, it gets me so furious. I could die tomorrow because of other operations I need that I can’t afford. I could die any day now, but I don’t want to pay them another nickel.”

Chesnutt was a singer-songerwriter whose works were performed by musicians as diverse as R.E.M., Smashing Pumpkins and Madonna. Here is an article on his death in the New York Times, a bio on Wikipedia, and the LA Times article, and his music on Amazon, where you can hear samples. 

 

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[Chris Hall]

Musician Kristin Hersh (http://www.kristinhersh.com/) has set up a page where people can donate to help Vic's family: http://kristinhersh.cashmusic.org/vic/