Obamacare, ACA, Medicaid expansion, what ever you want to call it.This is an argument as old as the Obama administration. On the first go around Obama care, wasn’t bad it originally modeled the universal healthcare plans in Canada. But to many people were offended that poor people would actually get the medical care they needed, especially the working poor.
Have you ever been sick, not a cold or flu, but sick and not knowing what is wrong with you, but avoiding the Dr b/c you can’t afford another a debt . Or a down payment, or know that it would do no good because you can’t afford the medicine. Or had to tell your child sorry I can’t get your medicine this month because we need money for food or gas.
For several years I was only able to see a Dr, at RAM (remote area medical) once a year, where I would wait in line for hours if not days along with thousands of other people some of whom who had been waiting outside in tents for over a week, to get medicine, test ect they need. And even then some of the treatments can’t be completed in outside tents, in three days time, then they refer you to a teaching hospital where you may or may not get the treatment you need in the next 6-8 months (not the hospital fault their resources are stretched so far.).
Yes it is easy to say lazy get another job, a better paying job, work two jobs…but its not always realistic, especially when you need babysitters, time of for kids getting sick or have a chronic illness.
My story goes like this and this is one of the huge reason I’m a Bernie supporter. I have worked since I was 15, sometimes two or three jobs at a time. Heck right now I”m working part time and I clean houses on my days off, as long as my “whatever” isn’t acting up and I am not either dizzy, hurting or so exhausted I can’t even hold my head up. The only time I took any length of time off, was the birth of my daughters, 6 weeks with the first one less than 4 with my second…..About a year to a year and half ago, I started hurting everywhere even to sit up, and the fatigue was just as bad, then I gained 80 pounds in a short amount of time and started having chest pains. I found out at even just 7o0 a month I was making to much to get any medical help…so the bills started piling up, the ER finally told me pretty much enough, you need to see a real dr and have x, y, z testing…I had no choice 6 months ago to cut my hours down to 10 a week…so with coupons and budgeting like crazy I make it work. However, had Virginia expanded their medicaid I would have been able to continue to work, and see the drs for the test that I am needing (not to mention the 150 dollars in medicine the drs have put me on) and not had to get rental assistance and food help. So to save some face and appease the elite, I have now had to go from poverty to well below poverty, just to get the medical care I need…Should I or anyone die b/c they are poor? Most Americans are not equipped to handle a medical emergency or extended illness, so think hard before you answer. I’ve never been lazy, and it kills me that it has come to this, but as a mother and wife I have to do what it takes to get healthy and be there for my family.
As far as what is wrong with me, the drs so far have said chronic gastritis, PCOS, labyrithitis, depression and anxiety disorder, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, Stage one COPD and possibility fibromylia and possible sleep apena…However this will require several more dr visits test and medicine to treat and pin down….At this point I’m at a loss of what to do, and wonder if I should even continue trying to work for a corrupt system that doesn’t care whether I live or die.
Thats just my rant for tonight.
Our Crazy Life 