Saved by Obamacare

[DonViejo]

I was beat down by insurance and rarely saw doctors. But under a new plan, I made a call that proved life-changing

ELIZABETH HAND

When my insurance dropped me in 2000, I was a self-employed writer with two kids. The company no longer covered clients in Maine, where I live, and though my own health was good, going without coverage was not an option. Eventually I signed on with the Maine arm of a national plan, got the lowest possible premium with the highest deductible, and until this past March, stepped outside each month, stuck my money — some years, almost a quarter of what I earned — into an envelope, wrapped the envelope around a large rock, and tossed it into the frigid waters of Penobscot Bay, where green crabs devoured it.

Kidding! There were no rocks, and no icy bay: Each month I mailed my premium to my insurance company, and they fed it to invasive crustaceans. Or not — I have no idea what they did with my checks, other than cash them. I certainly got little medical care in return. I was out of pocket for nearly everything — doctor’s visits, prescription medications, you name it. The deductible was $15,000, for myself and each of my children. My premiums rose yearly — sometimes, twice in a single year.

Let me make it clear that I have always considered myself very lucky. My kids’ health has been generally good, and so has my own. Still, as a writer who, like a lot of Mainers, is self-employed, I have a limited income. I became adept at scouring the local papers for any kind of free preventative healthcare — flu clinics and immunizations and Well Child clinics for my children, cholesterol and glucose screenings for me. On sunny weekends, we’d go to health fairs. When I turned 50, because of my age and income, I became eligible for free mammograms and Pap tests.

When my kids were sick, I never hesitated to take them to the doctor or pay for their medications. One of my children developed migraines as a teenager, so there were more doctor’s visits, tests and prescriptions. One of my children has asthma, as do I, so there were nebulizers, inhalers and other meds to pay for. But as my premiums continued to rise, I saw my own doctor less often, maybe once a year. This made me feel even more detached from my own medical care. Again, fortunately, my health always seemed good. I take an antidepressant for seasonal affective disorder: That, along with the asthma inhalers, is the only medication I use regularly.

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http://www.salon.com/2014/04/16/saved_by_obamacare/