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Alex Chilton Delayed Medical Treatment Due to Lack of Health Insurance

Alex Chilton's unexpected death last month at age 59 might have been prevented if he had health insurance. According to a report in the Times-Picayune, Chilton's wife, Laura Kersting, says that although he had symptoms of heart trouble, he declined immediate treatment due to lack of coverage.

Chilton, who at age 16 had a No. 1 US hit single with 'The Letter' in 1967 as lead singer of the Box Tops, passed away just days before he was to appear at a reunion show in Austin, Texas, of his '70s group, the widely influential power-pop band Big Star.

"At least twice in the week before his fatal heart attack, Chilton experienced shortness of breath and chills while cutting grass," the article reports. "But he did not seek medical attention, Kersting said, in part because he had no health insurance."

The Times-Picayune reveals that on the morning of March 17, the Big Star frontman called Kersting at work to tell her he wasn't well. She made it home before the ambulance and rushed him to the emergency room, running a red light at his insistence, before he lost consciousness when they were just a block from the emergency room.

The piece also takes a close look at Chilton's private life in New Orleans, where the Memphis-raised Louisiana transplant lived in the mixed neighborhood of Treme, where he rode out Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "He identified with black people more than white people," Kersting said. "He was very much a part of this neighborhood." Neighbors across the street marveled as Chilton cut his grass with a manual push mower.

Despite his iconic indie rock stature, Chilton's wife said, "He was kind of lazy ... He took it very easy. He'd say, 'Why work when I don't have to?' He wanted a very simple life. He was not interested in fame. He was interested in money -- he wanted enough to be comfortable and to travel."

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dr. cool

Alex was not lazy as far as being a Musician!
That was his job! ....His life!.....and he did it well
He also Produced other peoples music (The Replacments The Cramps)......was an acomplished studio engineer......He left alot of his work behind for all to enjoy/discover. I think his wife ment that he was lazy as far as taking care of himself. That seems to be his mistake. So when he was home from touring ( Box Tops, Big Star, SOLO )he liked to lay around the shack......so what! I think he had the money for insurance........and he worked for it.
I guess some people don't want to live to be 80

August 03 2010 at 2:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kachina321

I DON'T GET THIS AT ALL. THERE IS A FUND OUT THERE THAT CATERS TO PEOPLE IN THIS SAME SITUATION. FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO ARE MUSICIANS. WHO HAVE GOTTEN PAID AS A MUSICIAN FOR I BELIEVE 5 YEARS OR MORE. IT'S CALLED M.A.P. RIGHT NOW THE INITIALS MEANING ESCAPES ME.
IT MIGHT BE "MUSICIANS AGAINST PHYSICIANS". IT IS BASICLLY A FUND FOR THOSE WHO USED UP THERE MONEY OR WERE RIPPED OF FOR IT. I KNOW A PERSON WHO WENT THROUGH DRUG TREATMENT ON TED NUGGENTS M.A.P. FUND.
RIP

May 17 2010 at 12:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chumgrinder

"Why work when I don't have to?" Looks like Chilton made his choices, and bore the consequences. Anybody who thinks "society" had any sort of duty to prolong the life of a fellow who could easily have cared for himself, but didn't, is welcome to pony up his own money voluntarily for the cause. I applaud Chilton's honesty, and the honesty of his demise.

May 09 2010 at 12:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mimi Kersting

Good effort, but erroneous!

This article is unfortunately incorrect - Alex did not delay treatment due to his lack of health insurance.
He did not have health insurance as a matter of principle - he didn't want to buy in to what he saw as a corrupt money-grubbing system.
He certainly could afford to go to the doctor, and went for checkups as much as anyone. True, he should have been a little more alert about his risk of heart trouble, given that it ran in his family.
But he was not a victim of not being in the health care system!
Please spread the word about this, as my sister (his wife) is quite upset that this misinterpretation of her words is spreading...
Mimi Kersting (Alex's sister-in-law)

April 19 2010 at 9:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Paul

I am amazed at some of these posts...
1)Alex was a SEMINAL influence on GENERATIONS of pop musicians... he was not Neccasarily RICH.
2)With-out bring politics into the mix... Health care is an actual RIGHT in almost every single western country EXCEPTING the U.S.
3)He may have very well had a number of (Shudder) mental illness'... many hyper creative people do... what is called lazy can often be neurosis or mild psychosis.
4)R.I.P. Alex you will be missed greatly by the the multitude of song-writers you had great effect on.

April 19 2010 at 5:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kayla

The level of fear and ignorance of some people commenting here regarding the difference between private/public insurance is ASTOUNDING. There is virtually no difference, save overall costs being lower to the consumer through the public option. You're sadly mistaken if you think doctors currently decide what medical treatment you'll get in the private insurance system - faceless bureaucrats in the insurance industry do and they refuse costly or 'experimental' (according to them) procedures/treatments all the time! And those with insurance are already underwriting emergency treatment for those without insurance - getting the uninsured into the system lowers the costs for everyone. Yeesh people, educate yourselves and stop parroting half-truth talking points! Makes me so mad listening to this nonsense. Health care should NOT be a commodity run for profit. The vast majority of the civilized world realizes this. Why don't Americans??

April 19 2010 at 3:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
TIDDYBEAR

Ive seen longer comments than this! ONE more try!

>Cat

April 16 2010 at 2:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
TIDDYBEAR

Let's see if it will print more than 1 word here:

>Cat

April 16 2010 at 2:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
TIDDYBEAR

>Cat

April 16 2010 at 2:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
eric2040

RE:Eric Erickson, you are excused.
Regards,Love That Blog
Thank you for being excused! I was in the Marine Helicopter Squadron. I was a Crew Chief, (Mechanic and M-60 Side Gunner) I did not know that when I finally got to Danny's Funural that there was no body in the coffin? His Mom cried on my shoulder as Danny and 27 of his fellow Marines had been disintegrated by a #1000 lb mine. That song pushes my buttons.Eric

April 16 2010 at 2:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply