America’s Rural Healthcare Crisis | If Dreams Were Lightning | Full Documentary | Independent Lens

Official website: to.pbs.org/IL_2024 | #IndieLensPBS
Rural hospitals around America are closing at alarming rates, leaving communities without care. Oscar and Emmy-nominated director Ramin Bahrani visits Appalachia, where American communities are left with limited or no access to healthcare. Explore the rural healthcare crisis in the South through the eyes of those struggling in it and the dedicated doctors trying to reach them.
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@independentlens is America’s home for independent documentary film. Each week the award-winning series delivers engaging documentaries crafted by the industry’s boldest filmmakers. Independent Lens films have won 19 Emmy Awards, 16 Peabody Awards, five duPont-Columbia University Awards, and have received 10 Academy Award nominations. Independent Lens won the 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2022 International Documentary Association (IDA) Award for Best Continuing Series.
#Documentary #PBSfilms #healthcare

[@blue8710]

'the greatest country on Earth ', well I sincerely doubt that. If a country doesn't take care of its people, especially healthwise it gives you plenty of information about how much they care about you.

[@greenearthblueskies8556]

But people are anti government and anti socialism though? 🤔😒

[@annjoyce579]

U.s.a, and the world, can improve--fast, with new ideas from economics and governance. Keep hope.

[@roygbiv5164]

The only way to "cure" this problem is to socialize medicine.

[@erikweston209]

Made me cry, so much like my experience in so many ways. I'm just across the Smokies in Western North Carolina. These people feel like my people. Their experiences like mine and my families in terms of health problems/ care. Thank you for telling this story, and for seeing us, showing us as humans.

[@catholicfaithofmine2664]

In 2020 when hospitals were filled with Covid cases I had to bring my spouse to ER and wait outside. I met a young woman whose husband was also in ER. At about 11 pm she found out her husband was to be admitted. She had to drive 2 hours up the mountains with dark roads and hairpin curves and sheer mountain drops to get home to the rurals. I live 15 min from hospital and could not imagine such a drive to get to the hospital.

[@rinab4405]

I actually work in a rural hospital in a small town, I've been there for 13 years, right now I'm afraid for my hospital and I'm greatful to have a job, we're a family at our facility.

[@13579hee]

And the people who live there KEEP voting against their own wellbt

[@teanikahoffman1189]

Yup for racism policy that prevent universal healthcare for all

[@nookdiddy]

🎶"If dreams were lightning, and thunder were desire. This old house would have burnt down a long time ago" John Prine

[@nathan8418]

The beautiful woman who was first interviewed is a beacon of positivity. Loved hearing her laugh.

[@marshablackburn89]

There have now been multiple iterations of these very people voting against the expansion of Medicaid which would have kept rural hospitals open but they were so focused on preventing the “undeserving” from accessing healthcare that they inexplicably chose not to understand that they wouldn’t have access either. Choose the behavior, choose the consequences

[@bobhookstratten9567]

So true. I'm so sick of mainstream journalists wasting their scarce resources on examining the woes of rural America. Rural Americans hate the supposed "undeserving" people of color more than they want a better life for themselves and their kids. End of story.

[@janeparent9178]

My daughters inhaler WITH insurance is $ 360.00 a month. We now get it through Canada Drugs Direct for $68 dollars a month. It takes about 5 weeks to arrive soyouhave toplan ahead. Our dr just sent the script to them. You canalso order cheaper drugs in Mexico.

[@user-bd6vt7oo5c]

These people voted for these policies. They chose this and will continue to do so.

[@c.m.303]

Grow up

[@cherylcarlson3315]

Spent my career working in inner city OB, never got really rural.So much pain, need... Well done documentary

[@memyselfi726]

"If you come here illegally you get more benefits than if you were born here". She voted herself into that position and she doesn't realize it.

[@mariekatherine5238]

Not really. It’s the rural and poverty that’s the problem whether red or blue. If there’s no big money in it, there’s no big med or big pharma. I live in a very rural area of a blue state and there’s no medical help for us here, either.

[@righteousone1]

@@mariekatherine5238 But you're still in hillbilly county.

[@c.m.303]

​@@righteousone1Some people's children are so heartless. Learn empathy and compassion before it's too late.

[@anamoahmends2171]

It all comes down to greed. These are sad stories but all we hear about on news is text books silliness.

[@MissRings333]

This was so nostalgic it gave me chills and warmed my heart at the same time. I intend on going down memory by re-watching every one of Walt Disney's greatest animations!!!!!

[@robine916]

Another excellent, if not also heartbreaking, video is a documentary called Toothless and Uninsured in Virginia. It's also about RAM- Remote Area Medical, the last bit in this video.

[@edpark]

Thank you, I needed to see this.

[@righteousone1]

I guess Jesus is on vacation because he ain't answering nobody's calls lol

[@sharinaross1865]

An extended vacation

[@CountCraigula]

He will be there to answer your call someday! He will probably just hang up on your cynical , hopelessness.

[@righteousone1]

@@CountCraigula He couldn't even save himself. He ain't saving nobody!

[@cr-iv1el]

And hospitals are filled with people who use it like a doctor's office. Also, maternity wards are scarce in parts.

[@c.m.303]

They wouldn't have to if they didn't have to wait 6 months for an appointment.

[@jordana5570]

This is why healthcare education is so important. Some of the things these women were saying about Medicaid/private insurance are NOT true

[@trapped7534]

Seriously?? Depends on where you live my dear. Not everyone has the same advantages.

[@nanzyz]

Why ANY doctor would WANT to practice medicine in a Red State is beyond me.

[@CountCraigula]

WHY?? They might actually get paid for their services!!!

[@laurenshanahan6652]

Not right to politicize this problem . This has been around for decades and no one has solved this issue

[@RyanKline]

This is so sad. What a travesty that America’s health system isn’t free. I hope this documentary spurs some political will to make universal healthcare something that taxes pay. Higher taxes would be worth it for free healthcare. This is just horrendous.

[@sharinaross1865]

I agree. This is sad. Especially when they the VA.

[@gamuiceyt01]

They actually don’t care

[@saritalil9116]

They won’t fix anything they want the slaves aka working poor to suffer an have no ability to revolt .. the rich run the world and we are just modern day slaves with a few shiny things

[@c.m.303]

Would that help... or made it worse? I've heard of those countries not allowing procedures... kind of like the American advantage plans.

[@trapped7534]

“Free” healthcare killed my best friend. She lived in Canada, because she was only 46 years old,she was repeatedly told that she was going into menopause,nothing more. To quit worrying. In reality it was ovarian cancer and it had metastasized to kidneys,cervical,bone,stomach,spine….. by the time they admitted that they were wrong. She died 3 months later.🤬🤬🤬🤬

[@shirleyjbaker1096]

😢

[@sharinaross1865]

Those two doing real work with there medical bus. Lol @ outlast husbands. Edit: I love rural country life.

[@eizapez3549]

Does the state offer afforable health care? The market care program is for everyone. I understand that the access to medical professional is an additional issue. Funding for the Affordable Care Act was reduced under the former administration. Texas offers the Gold card and a women health care insurance. What does the state offer the uninsured or underinsured of Virgina?

[@bentrider]

Yet another CRISIS. 😮

[@Davey-TheDJ]

If the rich people paid their full share of taxes empty stomach so to speak well they shouldn't have to go to bed on an empty stomach if they didn't want to capitalism to me is to go down economics put a top and let it go down that don't work the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few I consider the few the top one actually top 10% and that includes corporations

[@CountCraigula]

How much did the Doctors pay? How many thousands of hours did they work for little or no pay in their internship ? How many hundreds of thousands of dollars did they pay academia to obtain their Doctorate? Only to have the rug pulled out from under them. Hey Doc! Get to work! Provide free Healthcare to the masses! The bankrupt , corrupt , Government will make sure you get paid ! Don't worry , we're printing new money as fast as we can!!!

[@JaniceBlackmon]

If help care was free somebody will have tp pay for it nothing is free else you are illegal its free to them not to the taxes payer.

[@tomvalveede6808]

FYI, Back in the early 1990s, as a health advocate we learned of the big Rural Healthcare Crisis. Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services, HHS were, 'Getring to work on this crisis!" Now, more than 30 years later, NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED!!! SHAMEFUL AND DISGUSTING!!! ALL AMERICANS DESERVE SO MUCH BETTER AND SO MUCH MORE!!! ♥️🇺🇸♥️🇺🇸♥️🇺🇸♥️🇺🇸♥️🇺🇸♥️🇺🇸♥️🇺🇸♥️🇺🇸♥️

[@alexandracarrico1765]

Isn't Obamacare meant to be affordable for such folks? WHy are states where working and disabled need MEDICAID most so stingy with it????

[@eebbeerrttpp]

How much have you read about Obamacare? Thanks to Obamacare the number of Americans with health insurance increased by more than 10 million.

[@nanzyz]

Lol...People in these southern states hate Obama and The Affordable Care Act he signed into law. Got it?

[@naturegirl2110]

It doesn't mean Obama care is affordable. Even if the mo they premium is affordable, it doesn't mean you can afford to use the insurance. Before Obama care there was a dr that I could see self pay for $40. After Obama care she only takes insurance and with ins it costs more than $40 at that time to see her. A job I had which also owned the insurance company I was with and got their best plan offered, the deductible was $2000 for a single person. The neurologist I saw as self pay before the insurance was $75. With insurance I was told $25. A week later I got a bill for over $400. Which they later sorted out to over $200. That's I bill I wasn't expecting and didn't play for and felt cheated by both my job and the insurance company (probably the largest in the country). It all just feel like a scam to me

[@mariekatherine5238]

@@naturegirl2110Wake up, people. It’s a huge MLM company. Your politics and Obamacare mean nothing. Unless you’re rich and have excellent insurance through your employer, you mean NOTHING to this system. May as well just plan to die sooner than later. Stay home, let your family do what they can, and when it’s your turn, that’s just how it is, like in the old days. I see no sense to add on ten years of bad health, bankrupt yourself and your family, then you die and can’t even get a proper funeral or burial. Your family loses the home and your legacy is homelessness added to poverty. At least my kids get to keep the house and the VA takes care of my burial.

[@CountCraigula]

They're white!

[@cliftonbowers6376]

This is why I'm communist 😊

[@ludaw2975]

who apparently never lived in a communist country and seen the drawbacks of that system

[@cliftonbowers6376]

@@ludaw2975 yes unfortunately communist can be corrupt..sad but it iz what is mostly needed

[@righteousone1]

Communism was the most catastrophic thing to happen in history. Atheist communists killed the most amount of people in the shortest span of time.

[@xx.vn.]

😢