Oregon holds health insurance lottery

A shame.

"Oregon is conducting a one-of-a-kind lottery, and the prize is health insurance.

The state will start drawing names this week for the chance to enroll in a health care program designed for people not poor enough for Medicaid but too cash-strapped to buy their own insurance."

Not necessarily that a lottery is held for "health" insurance, though that is clearly arguable, but who is entering.

"Cash-strapped"?

Some do not appear to be:

"'It's better than nothing, it's at least a hope,' said Shirley Krueger, 61, who signed up the first day.

It's been more than six months since she could afford to take insulin regularly for her diabetes. That puts her at higher risk for a number of complications, such as kidney failure, heart disease and blindness.

Her part-time job leaves her ineligible for her employer's insurance plan and with too little income to buy her own."

Here is a picture of Shirley:

Seems as if she has enough money for too much food.

She ought to have enough for her insulin.

"'I'm worried about it. I know it's a death sentence,' Krueger said."

The "death sentence" is carried out each time she shoves food in her piehole.

If she is so "worried," she should eat fewer Calories and let someone who really needs the insurance compete against fewer others so their chances are improved.

In fact, if she ate less, she might even lose a few pounds and get off her insulin.