• Radar
  • 7 Day Forecast
  • Live Weather Video

WEEK Weather

Radar
59 °F
SUNNY
WIND : CLM
0 mph
HUMIDITY : 89 %
July 6, 2008
More Weather
  • News
  • Weather
  • Sports
  • Features
  • YouNewsTV
  • Programming
  • Community
  • Inside WEEK
  • Contact Us
  • Olympic Zone
  • Local & Regional
  • US & World
  • Business
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Technology
  • Political
  • Closings
  • News Links
  • Traffic

Health Insurance Can Mean Life Or Death In Some Cases

Tools

  • Save
  • E-mail
  • Print
  • YouNewsTV™
  • Most Popular
  • RSS Feed
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
Health Insurance Can Mean Life Or Death In Some Cases

By Jeff Muniz

Story Published: May 12, 2008 at 4:36 PM CDT

Story Updated: May 12, 2008 at 10:57 PM CDT

Health Insurance. For many it's costly just to have it and others too costly to even get it. One family says no health insurance cost the life of their 33-year-old son.

Multimedia

  • Watch The Video

Related Content

  • Congressman Phil Hare
  • Knox County Health Department

Fresh-faced out of high school, Eric Fair found a good job with benefits at Butler Manufacturing in Galesburg. In 2001, he was laid off.

Since then, he could only find temporary work with no health insurance meaning it was too expensive to see a doctor.

At the age of 33, Eric Fair died in February.

His father Bill said, "His heart was 80-90% blocked with plaque. I feel if he had health insurance my son would be alive today."

The Fair family joined 17th District Congressman Phil Hare in promoting health care for all Americans.

Outside of universal health care, Hare is also pushing for tax credits for small businesses providing health insurance and more portability.

"If you lose your job at Butler you can let that health care go with that person to their other job."

Greg Chance with the Knox County Health Department said, "We provide those individuals with the ability to come in and get a routine physical and identify potential health risks and we case manage their health risks with them."

A program that came too late for Eric Fair, but may just save the life of someone else.

View Oldest Comments First

Tuesday, May 13 at 10:38 AM angie wrote ...

The state has many prgrams to help those who do not have health insurance, ICHIP is one that someone in his type of situation might have checked into. it is like Public aide you go to the local Human services department.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 500 Characters Left

Comments are moderated and will not appear on this story until after they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting.

WEEK News 25 and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

Most Popular

  • Pekin Boy Missing
    Watch Video
  • Bloomington Man Drowns Fixing Sump Pump
    Watch Video
  • State Farm Gun Scare
    Watch Video
  • Red, White and Booming
    Watch Video
  • Grocery Store Coming To Sheridan Village
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Alexander Travel

When your journey from a dream to a great story includes us, you travel better.

Special Features

  • Week Your Health Matters Week Your Health Matters
  • Whos Hiring Whos Hiring
  • PSA PSA
  • Contests Contests
  • Buddy Check Buddy Check

On Demand

  • All Video All Video
  • News 25 @ Your Desk News 25 @ Your Desk
    Watch Video
  • RSS Feeds RSS Feeds
  • News 25 Notifier News 25 Notifier
  • Mobile Edition Mobile Edition

Stock Quotes

What's On TonightFull Schedule

6:00
NBC SPORTS Olympic Track
8:00
Dateline NBC
Local Business Dir

Most Popular

  • Pekin Boy Missing
    Watch Video
  • Bloomington Man Drowns Fixing Sump Pump
    Watch Video
  • State Farm Gun Scare
    Watch Video
  • Red, White and Booming
    Watch Video
  • Grocery Store Coming To Sheridan Village
  • Peoria's River Station Closing
    Watch Video
  • 'Fire'works Fun
    Watch Video
  • Local and Regional Flight Woes
    Watch Video
  • First Renovation Since 1844
    Watch Video
  • Sentence Handed Out In Nathan Accident
    Watch Video

Poll

How high does gas have to get before you'll stop paying?

  • $4.00 per Gallon
  • $6.00 per Gallon
  • $10.00 per Gallon
  • I've already stopped buying gas
  • No Limit: I can't live without gas
Copyright © 2008
WEEK, a Granite Broadcasting Station
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
NBC
Powered by Broadcast Interactive Media.