Medical Problems – Bills Dogging Democrat Rob Quist’s Congressional Candidacy
The Democratic Party enthusiastically endorsed popular singer and activist Rob Quist as their nominee to replace Ryan Zinke in Congress, however, medical issues and related money problems have surfaced since his nomination.
Appearing on KGVO radio's talk Back Program recently, Quist spoke of his medical difficulties.
"I had to have back surgery because I had lifted equipment wrong and threw my back out," Quist said. "For almost nine months I was in excruciating pain and I was doing almost anything not to have surgery because A, I couldn't afford it, and B, I didn't really trust the situation."
Quist said his surgery couldn't have come at a worse time in his music career.
"It was just at the pivotal time in my career," he said. "I had a great band together, I had the bus, the sound company, and I had just got a record contract offer from Warner Western. But, I had that surgery and it was just like somebody had turned off the jet engines I went into a tailspin. I lost the record company contract because I couldn't tour."
From that point, Quist said his finances were focused on his medical bills.
"As a result of that, I didn't have insurance, so I had to cover that all myself," he continued. "It just about sunk our family, and the only way I was able to get out of that was that I went on Social Security and Medicare early at 63 or 64, but had I not had that to go to, I would have been in deep trouble."
The Associated Press reports that Quist said he sought to address his family's financial tailspin by trying to sell a portion of his ranch, but a dispute with a bank blocked the sale. Quist said he recently sued the bank and will use a pending settlement to fend off a collection agency seeking about $10,000 because of a defaulted bank loan.
The Billings Gazette also reports that Quist stated that he could not tour in 2011 due to health issues, however, the article states that Quist played over 30 performances that year, averaging about $2,000 per show.
The National Republican Congressional Committee is using the article in the Billings Gazette to paint Quist as a candidate who has been less than truthful.
A call to the Quist campaign from KGVO News has not yet been returned.