Unable to Breathe
A woman came to me today seeking advice on where to look for health insurance and to see if I could help her get coverage as soon as possible. She was recently laid off and had only been able to find a part time job. Her living expenses left her little extra and even if she could afford health insurance she would most likely not be accepted due to her “pre-existing condition”. For quite some time she has been living with polyps developing in her throat and sinuses. Recently the polyps have gotten so bad that they have been blocking her air way making it difficult for her to breathe. She has been unable to have the polyps removed because she could not afford to pay the specialist out of pocket.
Even though when we spoke she appeared calm I could see the fear behind her eyes. Every breath this woman takes she is reminded of her sickness. Every day she feels the grip of her unfortunate situation growing tighter and tighter around her throat. The truth is that it’s the insurance companies that are strangling her. If she could afford to pay for insurance she would be able to have the polyps removed and she could begin to breathe normally again. Until we change the current health care system that so many people struggle in, my client and 47 million others like her will slowly be choked out by private insurance companies.
Katy Weeks