Mark Hoppus Op-Ed on Health Care

Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus recently wrote an op-ed piece to the Huffington Post about the current healthcare debate in the USA. Hoppus was inspired to write after an incident with caterer Ali Vatter on Blink-182’s tour. Vatter required emergency surgery to have her appendix removed after two months of being on the road, and she was uninsured. She told Hoppus that her medical bills exceeded $48,000.

Hoppus wrote, “My initial reaction was disbelief. Why would you not have insurance? Especially while on tour? Turns out I was asking the wrong question. The real question is: Why are you unable to get insurance?” Turns out Vatter had been trying for years to get proper coverage, but due to pre-existing conditions was denied coverage or offered exorbitant premiums. To help pay for the medical costs Vatter started a web site, the Ali Vatter Matter, to raise money.

Hoppus has agreed to match every dollar donated to the web site until Vatter’s medical bill is paid off. Hoppus concludes his article with the following challenge: “Mr. President, members of congress, hospitals, doctors, and insurance companies, there has to be a better way. When a person’s best option to pay for health care is to take to the internet and ask for small donations from strangers, bold changes need to be made.”