Power to the Patients: Art Call

DEMAND HOSPITAL PRICES!

@powertothepatients_ is hosting an open #artcall to help raise awareness that prices are now a patient’s right - and we must demand them!

Hospital fees are quite possibly one of the most outrageous and completely unnecessary issues in our society. Healthcare should be a birth given right as a human being, our health is the most important aspect of our lives and should be our top priority. Unfortunately, health as a top priority isn't even an option for many people due to their inability to afford a hospital visit. Mentioning a trip to the ER or even the doctor to someone in need of care is usually met with a laugh at the expense. People without financial privilege are quite frankly frightened of any developing medical problems or getting hurt simply due to the uncertainty of coverage they may or may not receive.

In a perfect world the balances of which hospitals can send you into bankruptcy with would at least be transparent so that getting help wouldn't be refused by those who need it the most. We are working to change that, hospitals are now legally obligated to show us their prices upfront as of 2021... but only a small handful of hospitals have complied with this law. @powertothepatients_ is seeking to spread the word about this violation of law to prevent those seeking good health from handing over their life's savings just to save their lives.

As an artist with more medical problems and bills than I could ever pay I knew when I saw this art call that I had to enter. Not only for my advocacy for mental health, but the collective wellbeing of our society. I drew up this representation of patient's rights by hand and researched the meanings behind the one thing people always bring to those in hospitals: flowers.

Each individual flower I have put into the bouquet behind the scales symbolize things like compassion, health, power, liberation, freedom and protection. I believe that with these things by our sides we could overcome the endless struggle with our healthcare system and give patients the rights they deserve.