[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 30, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H3309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            DANIEL DESNOYERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Khanna) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KHANNA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell the sad story of Daniel 
Desnoyers, who took his own life because he did not have the money to 
buy the basic drugs that he needed for his mental health issues.
  Daniel Desnoyers was a young man who struggled with depression and 
psychosis, mental health issues that show no physical symptoms but take 
a deep psychological toll on those whom they afflict.
  Daniel did the right thing. He purchased health insurance through the 
New York health insurance marketplace from Fidelis, a subsidiary of 
massive international conglomerate Centene Corporation.
  In March, Daniel went to the pharmacy to refill his prescription for 
risperidone, an antipsychotic medication that he needed. He was 
informed by the pharmacy that he no longer had health insurance and the 
1-month refill would cost him $250.
  Now, to some people, $250 may not seem like a lot of money, but to 
Daniel it was. According to a 2018 study by the Federal Reserve, 40 
percent of Americans would not be able to cover an unexpected $400 
expense. Daniel, unfortunately, was one of them.
  So he did not buy the medicine, and he began to ration his 
antipsychotic medicine, taking it every other day until he could get 
his insurance back. He contacted his provider, Fidelis, at the 
beginning of April when he learned that they had canceled his plan 
because he missed a $20 payment.
  Fidelis didn't immediately reinstate the plan. Instead, the company 
informed him that his coverage would not resume until May 1. This meant 
another month without a refill of his prescription, another month 
without the medicine Daniel needed to function. His ration of medicine 
had run out.
  On April 9, filled with thoughts of suicide--a listed side effect for 
antipsychotic drug withdrawal--Daniel superglued his seatbelt shut, 
posted a farewell message on Facebook, and drove his truck into the 
river, ending his life.
  Daniel Desnoyers died at the age of 29 because he was late paying $20 
to a corporation that pulled in more than $60 billion in 2018.
  Something is deeply wrong in this country where we let a young man 
die because he cannot afford medicine that he needs and when his 
insurance is taken away because of a $20 missed payment. Daniel died 
because we have a system that puts profits over patients.
  A healthcare system that does not guarantee basic care for all people 
is a healthcare system that is broken. Medicare for All could have 
prevented Daniel's death, and it could prevent the death of so many 
others. Lloyd Doggett's pharmaceutical bill that would hold these 
pharmaceutical companies accountable could have prevented Daniel's 
death.
  Twenty-eight million Americans are still uninsured, and millions more 
are saddled with high deductibles and high premium plans which lead 
them to forgo the care they need. Medicare for All is the plan that 
will guarantee every American the basic care that they have a right to.
  Daniel Desnoyers wasn't a perfect man and he didn't lead a perfect 
life, but he tried, and our Nation owes it to him and others like him 
to make sure that they have the medicine they need to live with 
dignity.
  I will continue to fight for Daniel, for his father, for his family, 
and for all Americans.

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