Every time one turns on the TV, boots up the internets or picks up the paper there are stories and commercials regarding healthcare in America. It is so pervasive that my 8 year old and I have had discussions about healthcare, health insurance and a public option. One evening we were watching the news and she turned and said they are talking about healthcare everywhere on the TV now, why? We talked about health insurance, ours and about what happens to those without insurance. I explained to her how much we are paying a month for health insurance and how when we go to the doctor the insurance company helps foot the bill. The numbers of course don't add up in her mind. Then we discussed her grandmother, who lives with us and does not have any insurance.
My mother in law does not have insurance. She is not old enough to file for medicaid, nor is she employed. She just filed for early Social Security in June, and is taking a pretty big penalty. If she did not live with us, as she has for the past 2 years, she would be homeless. She can not work, but is not disabled. We have paid for all her medical expenses out of pocket for the last 7 years. She has high blood pressure, high cholestorol, diabetes, no thyriod, and is a bit OCD. She is on medication for all of these health problems.
She does go to a doctor who sees her on a sliding scale; but sometimes it is almost impossible to get to see him when she is sick. Two weeks ago her eye began to swell shut. She called the office for an appointment and a possible referal and they have yet to schedule an appointment for her. She then began to take an antibiotic because even though there isn't a sign of infection, I am guessing allergies, because she began to worry that if she didn't treat it she was going to get an infection in her brain and die.(Remember I said she had a bit of OCD).
She needs surgery on her bladder, we can not afford to pay for it out of pocket. She can not buy private health insurance either because of having had cancer. There have been times in the past couple of years that we have a great deal of trouble paying all our bills because we not only keep her fed, clothed and housed but because of her medical bills. Her lack of insurance could destroy my family financially. It is that simple.
My mother in law requires a public option; her health history rules out a private carrier. My husband and I work hard, pay our bills and taxes and we are one health catastrophe from ruin. It is simple. I can sit here and look at my mother in laws decisions that brought us to where we are with her and yes she is irresponsible. My husband and I are not though; and we are the ones who lose everything if she gets really sick.