I was in 7th grade (2002) when my mom was diagnosed with leukemia. I’m the youngest of 7, and it took about a year to wipe out 4 college funds. The insurance company ended up kicking her off my dad’s insurance. By the time the 2008 recession rolled around my parents had to file for bankruptcy. All this so my mom could live.
I'm one of those Americans who is poor by choice in order to get medical care. My son was born with a cleft lip and palate; he's had 3 major surgeries, 2 minor ones, and 2 more major ones lined up (9/2/20 and summer 2021). I have to make the conscious decision to be poor to ensure that we don't get kicked off of Medicaid. I can't imagine the costs we would incur, insurance or not, to have any of the surgeries he needs.
This decision ended up working in our favor, because now, at 33, I have been diagnosed with breast cancer. I went through 6 rounds of chemo with neulasta shots every round. The neulasta shots alone are 6k. I still get immunotherapy infusions every 3 weeks for a year. Last week, I had a mastectomy. Because of Medicaid, I have never seen, nor will I see a bill. It's effed that I have to choose between medical treatment for my family or working to provide them a "better" life. In order to overcome the welfare cliff I would have to walk out my door and make at least 60k to come even close to being in THE SAME POSITION I am in now. Still poor, but working myself to the bone and praying that I will make enough to keep a home, food in our bellies, and insurance. It's such a disincentive to try any harder. If socialized medicine were a thing here, my life would be much different.
IveeLaChatte on August 7th, 2020 at 11:37 UTC »
I was in 7th grade (2002) when my mom was diagnosed with leukemia. I’m the youngest of 7, and it took about a year to wipe out 4 college funds. The insurance company ended up kicking her off my dad’s insurance. By the time the 2008 recession rolled around my parents had to file for bankruptcy. All this so my mom could live.
fashiondollxx on August 7th, 2020 at 11:54 UTC »
Some US citizens even avoid an ambulance ride because of the fee...that’s so bizarre
TransportThestral on August 7th, 2020 at 11:58 UTC »
I'm one of those Americans who is poor by choice in order to get medical care. My son was born with a cleft lip and palate; he's had 3 major surgeries, 2 minor ones, and 2 more major ones lined up (9/2/20 and summer 2021). I have to make the conscious decision to be poor to ensure that we don't get kicked off of Medicaid. I can't imagine the costs we would incur, insurance or not, to have any of the surgeries he needs.
This decision ended up working in our favor, because now, at 33, I have been diagnosed with breast cancer. I went through 6 rounds of chemo with neulasta shots every round. The neulasta shots alone are 6k. I still get immunotherapy infusions every 3 weeks for a year. Last week, I had a mastectomy. Because of Medicaid, I have never seen, nor will I see a bill. It's effed that I have to choose between medical treatment for my family or working to provide them a "better" life. In order to overcome the welfare cliff I would have to walk out my door and make at least 60k to come even close to being in THE SAME POSITION I am in now. Still poor, but working myself to the bone and praying that I will make enough to keep a home, food in our bellies, and insurance. It's such a disincentive to try any harder. If socialized medicine were a thing here, my life would be much different.