There was a time when I would've considered the ACA unnecessary. That I would've been annoyed by it. This was also a time where I had little to no interest in politics. It's funny how life has a way of humbling a person and teaching them something new about themselves on a regular basis. This is a story about how I ended up needing the help in order to make myself better.
"Well why didn't you just get a new inhaler?" I felt a sinking pit in my stomach. I was at a follow up visit to my doctor after ending up in the ER a few weeks before because bronchitis had made my asthma worse and I couldn't breathe. The first thing my doctor asked me was where my inhaler was when this had happened. After all, that was in my plan. I tried to explain to her that I only had one inhaler and it had been stolen the week before when I was riding the bus. Somehow, despite my explanation she didn't understand that since I was uninsured at the time, I just couldn't afford a new one. It was only after the ER trip that a friend of mine had pity on me and bought the inhaler for me.
I lost my insurance in April 2012 because I had been working at a call center that had outsourced its customer service department overseas. This was my fourth lay off in about six years. The whole time I had been trying to go back to school but in playing musical jobs I had never managed to do so. I decided to make school my focus and work secondary and deal with it.
Because I have asthma, I've never been able to get insurance without going through my work before. COBRA would've cost me over six hundred a month, and while my state had opened a high risk pool, it was still too expensive. My NP was awesome and made sure I got refills of my medication before I lost my insurance and gave me a list of community services for when I did lose it, because she knew I wouldn't be able to come back afterwards.
I did everything I could to make sure I would be taken care of. I signed up for a prescription plan at a local pharmacy, I found local clinic that was free, run on community donations. Still there are things that free clinics couldn't handle. Waiting all week to see a doctor because you got sick on Sunday and the free clinic is only open on Saturday isn't helpful when you're so sick you can't breathe. The doctors are volunteers so there's no guarantee of continuous care. In fact, the push is to get you into a local public health or community clinic, but they often were not taking new adult patients or were an hour drive away.
It was about a month after I lost my insurance when I found a lump on my right side, along the edge of the breast tissue. The free clinic provided me a referral but when I called the places they suggested I was turned away. I was told I was too young, that the office no longer provided services, or that they were out of funds for the year. I continued to fight to find a way to access services, but without a referral from a PCP I was getting nowhere. I finally took the time to bus out to one of the few clinics taking patients. They contacted a local imaging center attached to a public hospital to get me in. This started in June, I was finally in for imaging in October. In November I would get a biopsy and find out it was benign. It took me six months from start to finish to find out what was there.
It would be another year before I would get insurance again. In that time I ended up in the ER enough times the doctors started to recognize me. There really wasn't anything either of us could do. I couldn't manage my health without being able to afford regular doctor's visits and medication and they couldn't make a solution appear out of thin air. My wisdom teeth got infected and had to be removed but had to wait two months for a dentist who would help. I was on antibiotics so long I ended up with a GI infection. Bronchitis, allergic reaction, a set of second degree burns from how bad at cooking I can be. They got to deal with it all, despite the fact that most of these things were preventable.
All if this changed in January of last year. I live in one of the states that approved the Medicaid expansion and set up their own healthcare exchange. I was there on day one to shake hands with the Governor, tell him my story, and sign up. I stood up with him to others to encourage them to use the exchange as well. It is the only day of class I've missed since I started back.
Because of the Affordable Care Act I was able to get needed blood work that I had not been able to afford. Reliable access to medication. The first thing my PCP did, remembering how just a few months earlier I had ended up in the ER because I didn't have an inhaler was make sure to get me a prescription for one so I had a backup. One thing I know is I appreciate the opportunity more than I could ever express.
I know there are naysayers out there who will tell me that those things are not really free and that someone has to pay for them. One day I'll graduate and that person will be me. I seriously hope that I am paying to make sure someone gets the care they need with the money I pay into the system. It's saner than paying for what happens when they can't. The system we have isn't perfect, but it can only get better if we put effort into it.
You said no one is forcing people to do anything. Are rich people forced to pay income tax? Are Americans forced to pay a fine if they refuse Obamacare????
Ok, apparently I was mistaken. You just can not read. I said no such thing. I stated that TENEBRAE, in the quote that you quoted, did not say anything that related to what you were responding with.
No they weren't dropping but many of the poor, at least in Tennessee, were not and are still not eligible for medicaid. The eligibility here is ridiculous. It's not based on income so the fact that I was unable to work, had NO income did not make me eligible for medicaid and I know many in the same boat (not nessessarily unemployed but lower income) who are unable to qualify for help
Umm, Medicaid is based on income. If you make less than $15,000 per year or so, you are eligible.
Umm, Medicaid is based on income. If you make less than $15,000 per year or so, you are eligible.
That is not true. Before the expansion there were other requirements and the amount was a lot less. For example, I'm a single adult, who when I lost my job made about 12k for unemployment. I did not qualify because I don't have kids and I'm not disabled.
That is not true. Before the expansion there were other requirements and the amount was a lot less. For example, I'm a single adult, who when I lost my job made about 12k for unemployment. I did not qualify because I don't have kids and I'm not disabled.
Specializes in E/R, Med/Surg, PCU, Mom-Baby, ICU, more.
That is not true. Before the expansion there were other requirements and the amount was a lot less. For example, I'm a single adult, who when I lost my job made about 12k for unemployment. I did not qualify because I don't have kids and I'm not disabled.
Medicaid is administered by states and states have different policies.
You avoided my question. Do you want to force rich people to give poor people houses, cars, food, clothing, and college tuition?
See what I hear here is "The poor should be uneducated, homeless, naked, and starving because I don't understand why is part off the societal contact to pay taxes. "
I want to live where you are, lol! I agree it should be a right to have access to Healthcare regardless of whether you are able topay for it. Medical and dental care should be considered a right., since dental problems,as well as chronic illnesses, left untended, can have a major impact on overall health., which will raise health costs for everyone
See what I hear here is "The poor should be uneducated, homeless, naked, and starving because I don't understand why is part off the societal contact to pay taxes. "
Of course you do. You assume poor people are too stupid to succeed without handouts.
Specializes in E/R, Med/Surg, PCU, Mom-Baby, ICU, more.
See what I hear here is "The poor should be uneducated, homeless, naked, and starving because I don't understand why is part off the societal contact to pay taxes. "
Healthcare is not a right and if you want it then YOU should pay for it.
I want to live where you are, lol! I agree it should be a right to have access to Healthcare regardless of whether you are able topay for it. Medical and dental care should be considered a right., since dental problems,as well as chronic illnesses, left untended, can have a major impact on overall health., which will raise health costs for everyone
I'm sorry, but you don't have a right to freebies just by being born. Money does not grow on trees. You should not have the right to force others to pay your medical bills.
compumasta
20 Posts
Ok, apparently I was mistaken. You just can not read. I said no such thing. I stated that TENEBRAE, in the quote that you quoted, did not say anything that related to what you were responding with.