Nurses wheel a man in his fifties into the emergency room as fast as they can.
The man is breathing raggedly and sweating profusely. He is on the verge of a massive heart attack.
As hospital staff check the man’s vitals and administer painkillers, the doctor sees the man’s wife anxiously sitting in the corner.
This is the second time in the last six months the man has been to the hospital, she says, and because her husband is a self-employed house painter, he cannot afford health insurance.
The man couldn’t afford to see a cardiologist about his chest problems. Not only does the couple face financial devastation from this ER visit, but they are being sued in small claims court for their last visit.
Rob Stone shared this experience and others he has had while working as a doctor in an emergency room with a half-full Mitchell Auditorium March 24.
“This stuff happens all the time,” Stone said. “Whether he lives or dies, they’re facing financial catastrophe.”
These experiences have helped shape Stone’s view on healthcare and given him his belief that a national single-payer health insurance plan is what’s best for Americans.
The crowd Thursday was a mix of students and supportive community members.
For Stone, the support was surprising based on his previous experience with Evansville community members.
Last time, he spoke at the University of Evansville to a crowd of vocal tea-partiers.
“My experience is Evansville is the most hostile town I speak in,” Stone said.
Despite the occasional opposition, Stone still wants to convince the average citizen of the benefits of single-payer health insurance.
“I thought he was good,” said Cassandra Brothers, senior nursing major. “He shed lots of light on the health care bill and what it affects.”
While the majority of the college-age crowd in the audience may have been boosting their grades with extra credit, Stone said health care affects this demographic heavily.
“Age 20 to 35 is the largest percentage of the population that is uninsured,” he said.
For Stone, pushing for this particular type of health insurance is about making his community and country better for everyone.
“I grew up here in Evansville,” Stone said. “From my father… I learned fairness. I think fairness is a core American value.”