Here are some actual stories from the Coverage Gap
Young Woman in Gap Fears that Lack of Insurance Will Keep Her Out of College
Brittany is a young adult who lives with her parents and, like her parents, has a low-paying job. She wants to go to college to improve her employment outlook, but the college requires all students to have health insurance. Without health insurance, she can’t go to college. Brittany can’t afford insurance premiums, but she earns too much to qualify for subsidized insurance through the exchange. She says she’s trying to do what she can to improve her situation, but she feels like she’s stuck.
Young Man Lost Insurance and Now Relies on the Emergency Room
Aaron is a young man who used to have insurance but lost it. He has had four surgeries on his shoulder, developed blood clots and has been ill ever since. He tried to return to work but became too ill due to the clots. He has nearly died multiple times and the emergency room has become his primary source of care.
Man Needs Coverage So He Can Work to Support His Kids
Jason is in his 30s. He holds two jobs to pay for child support and his own living expenses. Neither of Jason’s jobs offers health insurance and when he recently suffered a back injury he was unable to afford physical therapy. He was eager to sign up for health insurance, but learned that he doesn’t earn enough to qualify for reduced-cost insurance in the health exchange and he doesn’t qualify for Medicaid. Jason worries about how he will provide for his children if an injury makes him unable to work.
A Stay-Home Mom Falls Into the Gap
Jennifer felt like she had done things the right way. She made her family a priority, and spent many years raising children as a stay-home mom. But she found it impossible to find full-time work once her kids were grown and a divorce left her in need of employment. So she had to settle for part-time jobs without benefits.
In order to better support herself, Jennifer has returned to school. While she is working to make herself more employable, she only has health insurance during semesters when she attends full-time, something other commitments don’t always allow her to do. This past semester she found herself having to go without prescription medication because she couldn’t afford it.
As a student, Jennifer makes too little to qualify for subsidized insurance under the Health Care exchange. She says that she is doing her best to finish a degree and get a full-time job, but that she needs a little help.
Community Health Worker Shares Her Frustration
While it was rewarding to help uninsured people gain health insurance coverage it was heart wrenching to tell those who fell into the “Gap”, that they didn’t qualify and they had no other options. Offering a tissue and a hug to console them felt so inadequate. So frustrating….
“I Often Have to Tell People That There is Nothing I Can Do”
As a Community Health Worker, I assist people who want to enroll in the Health Exchange. I often have to tell people that there is nothing I can do to help them because they fall into the coverage gap. While everyone’s story is a little different, it is always hard to explain to people that they earn too much for Medicaid and not enough for reduced-cost coverage on the exchange.
Woman in Her 60s Lost Coverage When She Lost Her Job
Julie is in her early 60s. She worked most of her adult life but lost her job about a year ago. When she couldn’t find a new job, she opted for early Social Security. Because her income is very low, she doesn’t qualify for reduced-cost coverage in the health exchange. Nor is she eligible for Medicaid or Medicare. Julie has high blood pressure and early signs of diabetes. She uses the sliding-scale community clinics sometimes, but hasn’t been able to keep up with those bills. Julie would love to know she could see a doctor when she is ill or injured.
Note: Names may be changed to protect the privacy of the individuals. Posts may be edited for length. Personal attacks (such as attacks on political figures or medical professionals) will not be posted.
Recent Comments