June 30, 2011--Three People, Six Jobs, No Health Insurance
We have close friends here in Florida who, like many, are struggling to stay above water.
The parents are in their mid to late 30s and their daughter recently turned 20. Between them they work six jobs, all versions of part-time, and therefore have no employee-paid-for health insurance.
If they qualified for private insurance, they couldn't afford it; but because of various insurance-company sleights of hand they are all deemed to have pre-existing conditions. To help maintain their privacy I won't go into the reasons. Suffice it to say that A___ had a benign tumor removed from her chest many years ago and this disqualifies her for anything but the most expensive coverage--it would cost $14,000 a year.
So they are rolling the dice with their health and risk bankruptcy if one of them gets unlucky.
This may in fact be underway--their daughter has a serious condition and is right now in the hospital. They have no idea how they will be able to pay for her treatment and expect to be sued for the charges she is running up.
We were having coffee together yesterday morning and A___ overheard another customer talking about health care. Actually, ranting about Obamacare and how it is ruining the economy. Especially small businesses.
A___ whispered to me, "Isn't it true that required coverage isn't scheduled to take effect until 2014?" I indicated that my understanding is that that is true.
"And isn't it true that most small businesses will not in fact be fined if they don't provide coverage?" Again, I said that is my understanding.
"And isn't it true that for me and my family, since our taxable income in total is only about $20,000 a year, that we will get a significant subsidy to pay for the health insurance we will be required to purchase."
"Yes, i said, "I think you will qualify for that."
"And for us, most important, we will not be denied coverage because of pre-exisiting conditions?"
"Again, true."
"So what is she saying at the top of her voice? She doesn't know what she's talking about. She's spending too much time listening to talk radio. Bottom line, she hates anything Obama stands for or has been able to accomplish. Maybe with the exception of killing Bin laden. Though I suspect if you pressed her she'd say George Bush should get the credit for that."
"Again, I think you're right."
"Well, I tell you, a lot of people will be feeling differently about things come 2014. I'll bet they'll be saying, 'That Obamacare isn't so bad after all.' That is, after they voted for his opponent."
"You're probably right about that too," I said.
"I'm not all that liberal to tell you the truth, I voted for McCain; but people like us not being able to afford health care is not fair. It's not American."
"Again, . . ."
"Look at her," A___ nodded in the direction of the other woman, "She doesn't need any help. She and her husband have good jobs, which I don't begrudge them. But she could be a little more sympathetic toward those of us who work hard but still need some help. Minimally to make things fair. I would hate to see her son lying in the hospital needing treatment while she and her husband face bankruptcy because they didn't have coverage. I'll bet she'd be singing a different tune."
I shrugged my shoulders, feeling helpless. There with nothing I could think of to say that would help or make her feel better.
"But listen to me," she said, "I sound resentful. I hate that. But this is what's happening to me."
"I hope that . . ."
"On top of this," she continued, rescuing me from my stammering, "my mother, who worked for a bank for 26 years, just got laid off and lost her insurance. She has a spot on her lung that we're all worried about. Including how to pay for whatever care she may need. I'm turning into an angry person. I don't want to be an angry person but my daughter may be dying and we can't afford to get her the help she needs."
All I could pathetically think to say was, "I understand."
A___ smiled wearily and when she got up to leave blew me a kiss.
The parents are in their mid to late 30s and their daughter recently turned 20. Between them they work six jobs, all versions of part-time, and therefore have no employee-paid-for health insurance.
If they qualified for private insurance, they couldn't afford it; but because of various insurance-company sleights of hand they are all deemed to have pre-existing conditions. To help maintain their privacy I won't go into the reasons. Suffice it to say that A___ had a benign tumor removed from her chest many years ago and this disqualifies her for anything but the most expensive coverage--it would cost $14,000 a year.
So they are rolling the dice with their health and risk bankruptcy if one of them gets unlucky.
This may in fact be underway--their daughter has a serious condition and is right now in the hospital. They have no idea how they will be able to pay for her treatment and expect to be sued for the charges she is running up.
We were having coffee together yesterday morning and A___ overheard another customer talking about health care. Actually, ranting about Obamacare and how it is ruining the economy. Especially small businesses.
A___ whispered to me, "Isn't it true that required coverage isn't scheduled to take effect until 2014?" I indicated that my understanding is that that is true.
"And isn't it true that most small businesses will not in fact be fined if they don't provide coverage?" Again, I said that is my understanding.
"And isn't it true that for me and my family, since our taxable income in total is only about $20,000 a year, that we will get a significant subsidy to pay for the health insurance we will be required to purchase."
"Yes, i said, "I think you will qualify for that."
"And for us, most important, we will not be denied coverage because of pre-exisiting conditions?"
"Again, true."
"So what is she saying at the top of her voice? She doesn't know what she's talking about. She's spending too much time listening to talk radio. Bottom line, she hates anything Obama stands for or has been able to accomplish. Maybe with the exception of killing Bin laden. Though I suspect if you pressed her she'd say George Bush should get the credit for that."
"Again, I think you're right."
"Well, I tell you, a lot of people will be feeling differently about things come 2014. I'll bet they'll be saying, 'That Obamacare isn't so bad after all.' That is, after they voted for his opponent."
"You're probably right about that too," I said.
"I'm not all that liberal to tell you the truth, I voted for McCain; but people like us not being able to afford health care is not fair. It's not American."
"Again, . . ."
"Look at her," A___ nodded in the direction of the other woman, "She doesn't need any help. She and her husband have good jobs, which I don't begrudge them. But she could be a little more sympathetic toward those of us who work hard but still need some help. Minimally to make things fair. I would hate to see her son lying in the hospital needing treatment while she and her husband face bankruptcy because they didn't have coverage. I'll bet she'd be singing a different tune."
I shrugged my shoulders, feeling helpless. There with nothing I could think of to say that would help or make her feel better.
"But listen to me," she said, "I sound resentful. I hate that. But this is what's happening to me."
"I hope that . . ."
"On top of this," she continued, rescuing me from my stammering, "my mother, who worked for a bank for 26 years, just got laid off and lost her insurance. She has a spot on her lung that we're all worried about. Including how to pay for whatever care she may need. I'm turning into an angry person. I don't want to be an angry person but my daughter may be dying and we can't afford to get her the help she needs."
All I could pathetically think to say was, "I understand."
A___ smiled wearily and when she got up to leave blew me a kiss.
posted by Steven Zwerling at
4:25 AM
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