They are poor, sick and voted for Trump. What will happen to them without Obamacare?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Another morning, another list of patients and problems in the hands of 35-year-old Keisha Saunders. Diabetes, depression, heart disease. Robert needs lower blood pressure. Buffy needs prescriptions filled. Mary needs to lose 50 pounds, so she can get what she really needs, a new hip.

Again, the list extends to the bottom of Keisha’s notepad, as it has so many days since the Affordable Care Act mandated that everyone have health insurance. Unlike in Washington, where health care is a contentious policy debate, health care where Keisha is a nurse practitioner is a daily need to be filled. The high rates of chronic diseases in McDowell County have made it the county with the shortest life expectancy in the nation.

It’s also a place that voted overwhelmingly for President Trump, whose promise to repeal the ACA will soon affect nearly every patient Keisha treats at the Tug River health clinic in Northfork, including the one waiting for her in exam room No. 2.

“How are you doing?” she asks Clyde Graham, who is 54 and has been out of work for four years.

“I ate a sandwich from Arby’s,” he says. “And it jumped me out for like, three days. I mean it just burnt.”

Heartburn is just the latest problem for Clyde, a patient Keisha sees every three months. Like so many in this corner of Appalachia, he used to have a highly paid job at a coal mine. Company insurance covered all of his medical needs. Then he lost the job and ended up here, holding a cane and suffering not only from heartburn but diabetes, arthritis, diverticulitis, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Because of the ACA, Clyde’s visit is covered by Medicaid. Before the law, most West Virginians without children or disabilities could not qualify for Medicaid, no matter how poor they were. The ACA — better known here as Obamacare — expanded the program to cover more people, such as Clyde, who can depend on Keisha to fix his heartburn without having to worry about the cost.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/west-virginia-tug-river-obamacare/?graf=0

[NurseJackie]

1. They'll probably die before the next election. What a shame.

[Alice11111]

4. !!!

[randr]

2. They will have to find a heroin dealer

because they will no longer afford their prescription opiates.

[Alice11111]

3. They usually vote agaist their own self interest. I don't see

That changing much. I have some in my family, and they think their self interest lies in demolishing Dems and the estate tax, which doesn't even apply to them. They have been like that since 2000 or before.
Some broke away from that w Obama. I remember some RW Repubs from the rustbelt being interviewed and asked about Obama being black, 2008, and the consensus was, they didn't care if he was green, if he could fix some of their problems. I expect they decided they would try orange now.

[caroldansen]

5. They have to wait until the democrats get back in office. Starting with the next election in

twenty months.

[Zorro]

6. What will happen to them?

They'll just get to meet Jesus sooner than expected!

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

[JI7]

7. what will hapoen to poor and sick that voted hillary ?

[dalton99a]

8. Exactly.

[Yavin4]

9. As long as Black people go to jail, women cannot get legal abortions, muslims are banned,

Mexicans are dragged away from their families, and trans gender people are not allowed to use any bathrooms, they will be happy.

Legal cruelty against people unlike themselves are all that they want out of life even if that means they don't get healthcare.

[Fla Dem]

10. Bt they can rest easy because there will be no more immigrants/refugees and the brown people will

all be deported.

[maxrandb]

11. They will

Blame Democrats. Always will until we declare war on hate radio and take it out!

[adigal]

12. I. Don't. Care. Fewer people to vote for Trump next time

I know, I feel horrible saying that, but they are reaping what they have sown.