Dr. Pradeep Arumugham of Kinston is a heart doctor who doctors from the heart. The cardiologist takes whatever his uninsured patients can afford, and they all want to pay something. Recently he accepted payment in bundles of sweet potatoes.
Arumugham (pronounced ahh ROO-moo-gum) could make a fine living in a big city, and he’s had offers. But there’s a friendliness about Eastern North Carolina that surprised him and now makes him want to stay and serve.
“I do like Eastern North Carolina because the people are very nice,” he says. “Walking the streets, people say, ‘How are you?’ I used to think – who are they talking to?”
But beneath the doctor’s affection and dedication, anger smolders. He’s angry that lawmakers in North Carolina refuse to expand Medicaid. Every day he sees the toll of that refusal. People suffering with chronic conditions because of lack of access to scans or specialists or devices such as pacemakers.
I became aware of Arumugham when he sent The News Observer a letter that had started as a Facebook post. It told of a patient who had died for lack of a pacemaker that she could have received if Medicaid had
Article source: https://health.einnews.com/article/328377770/Y_xztVQ6BXgjdlLz?ref=rss&ecode=uiQ1mLaH2KVPSS4e