Unemployed, uninsured man dies from toothache because he couldn't afford dental care or antibiotics

[Jenna]

According to NBC affiliate WLWT, Kyle Willis' wisdom tooth started hurting two weeks ago. When dentists told him it needed to be pulled, he decided to forgo the procedure, because he was unemployed and had no health insurance.

When his face started swelling and his head began to ache, Willis went to the emergency room, where he received prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medications. Willis couldn't afford both, so he chose the pain medications.

The tooth infection spread, causing his brain to swell. He died Tuesday.

More here: Without Insurance, 24-year-old Dies of Toothache - ABC News

[Odd]

One of the life saving devices in my signature line would have saved his. Two if you're clever about it.

[pgg]

Lifes a bitch

[jmur5074]

Sounds to me this is more a case of poor decision making and poor education from the medical staff.


He could only afford one of his prescriptions, and he chose pain medication (common sense would dictate that pain medication will only mask the underlying problem temporarily). Had he chosen antibiotics, this article probably never would have been written.

The article tries to portray him as a poor victim of American healthcare. Not only did he go to the dentist AND the Emergency Room, he had access to antibiotics that HE chose not to get.

I don't even go to the dentist. I don't have dental insurance!

[lewisipso]

Nothing more than a flag waving article I'm afraid. Jmur hit the nail right on the head. Pain medication hunh? I wonder if he had a habit?

[Jks9199]

Sounds to me this is more a case of poor decision making and poor education from the medical staff.


He could only afford one of his prescriptions, and he chose pain medication (common sense would dictate that pain medication will only mask the underlying problem temporarily). Had he chosen antibiotics, this article probably never would have been written.

The article tries to portray him as a poor victim of American healthcare. Not only did he go to the dentist AND the Emergency Room, he had access to antibiotics that HE chose not to get.

I don't even go to the dentist. I don't have dental insurance!

This. He chose comfort over taking care of the problem. And he paid for his choice.

[Pudge]

No sympathy here. It was his decision to not get the procedure or antibiotics. The headline is one of the poorest attempts at spin I've seen.

No smart enough to make a decision or had a habit he didn't want to put on hold for proper medication? Sounds like a fine example of darwinism. Next.

[irishmick]

I find it very hard to feel sympathetic for stupidity.

[pharmer]

I hear that one all the time... Too bad it never works! You don't get the pain meds from me unless you get the antibiotic. Antibiotic too expensive..? I can usually get that changed if you're sincere. Dittos on Pudge for darwinism.

[MacLean]

He killed himself.

[Jks9199]

I hear that one all the time... Too bad it never works! You don't get the pain meds from me unless you get the antibiotic. Antibiotic too expensive..? I can usually get that changed if you're sincere. Dittos on Pudge for darwinism.

My mother in law got a several hundred dollar prescription dropped down to literally a couple of bucks, when the pharmacy and the manufacturer got together and agreed she couldn't afford it. I'm sure there are limits to how often they can do this or how many people they can help, but I bet they figure the publicity/advertising value and tax write off balances the cost to a certain point.