This article came across my news feed today; Mississippi, Burned, which talks about the dismal healthcare in my home state. It is quite a lengthy article, but worth a read.
To surmise, our former Governor, Haley Barbour, wanted to jump onboard with a healthcare market place similar to Mitt Romney's. Things were started, the ball was rolling; entire groups of people here who had no access to healthcare would be covered, including myself. But then Phil Bryant got into office and he's dug his heels in. I'm not really sure how we'll vote him out.
Bryant basically put a ridiculous political agenda before his own people. All the work that Barbour and Chaney (not VP Chaney) initiated, that hundreds of people worked on for several years, Bryant flushed it all down the toilet at the last minute. He refused to accept the Affordable Care Act (ACA), so we were denied. If things had gone down the way they should have, we would have been an independent healthcare state garnering hundreds of millions of dollars. But because of Bryants actions, we are bascially included because we have to be and alotted a paltry sum. He also refused to expand Medicaid.
Refusing to expand Medicaid basically means that the people who needed it most, the people Barbour and the US Government with the ACA were trying to help, still go without. In fact, people who once could afford some type of insurance are now not eligable under the ACA the way it is set up with Medicaid. We have more uninsured people now than before this started.
My parents had healthcare at one point, but because of rising prices they dropped it in the early 1990s. We simply did not make enough money to pay the monthly premiums. That fact has not changed. My parents, however are older. They qualify for Social Securty. They are also quality for Medicaid because of their ailments. Neither of them could work now, even if they wanted to. My mother has very bad arthiritis and my father's heart is not up to scratch, plus he has something to do with bad nerves in his legs and diabetes.
Basically all this amounts to is that they get some money from Social Security every month. But it is barely enough to cover one person in basic home bills, health, and food. Forget being able to really afford healthy food like fruits and vegatables. And they are able to get their prescriptions for any price under $10, which I admit is quite helpful.
But my parents Social Security payments do not merely pay for them. My sister and I both live at home. She lost a good paying job in 2012 and I lost a job that paid hardly anything a few weeks ago. My sister has lived on her own before. My parents are glad to have her live here. I, on the other hand, could be considered the "special" kid of the family. The burden. I do not want to be, but it feels that way, to me, sometimes. Or most of the time. Or part of the time.
I never finished university. My maternal grandfather set up money accounts for my brother and sister in a considerable amount for their college educations. I wasn't born yet, so I missed out on that. Their accounts had years and years to grow from interest. My aunt persisted in asking my grandmother to set one up for me. When my grandmother finally did it was five years before I would graduate high school with a tenth of what was put into accounts for my brother and sister. I ran out of money two years in.
I can't blame it all on this either. I wasn't very good at university. I can't blame it all on my mother either, who changed my classes during my senior year of high school and made it so I would graduate early and go to the big university here in town. But, I know myself. I know that I can't jump from a bowl into an ocean, that there needs to be something in between. I also am kind of slow emotionally. I was enjoying high school, as much as one can. I wanted to finish and graduate and enjoy being carefree. I also wanted to go to community college for two years before going to the university. None of this happened, my heart wasn't in it, it was a lot for me to handle and I wasted the money for university by having to take classes over.
So, I have no formal education. I am a high school graduate or "some college", but no degree. I have never lived on my own, because it was too intimidating, coupled with the fact that any of the jobs I ever had I was always fired from with in three months and I never had enough money to move out in the first place. The only other person I have ever personally known who experienced what I did with jobs was my brother. He also would get jobs and be fired just as quickly. You clean the area, you're friendly, you clock in on time, you don't steal, but you get fired when the other workers who stay clocked in on breaks or leave early, are rude to customers or steal get to keep their jobs.
I have had so many people say, "Why don't you just get student loans and go back to college. You really should." Or, "If you want to move, just move!" But, I don't understand these statements. Why would I want to go back to college if A) my heart wasn't in it and B) I would need to get student loans which all of you who tell me to get them, hate them and will be 60 by the time you pay them off? And how does one just move? You have no money and you get in your car and drive somewhere and what? Without anything lined up, without money? I don't understand how people do that. I, apparently, am not a person who can do that. And without a job how could I even, responsibly, move into a place with even twelve roommates?
"Then get a job. It's easy!" And this is where the part about my brother being the only other person to understand also comes in. It was never easy for him to find a job either. And good luck trying to keep it or immediately land another one. The people give that statement just figured I was giving excuses or I wasn't looking for jobs. Even looking for a job is difficult. Jobs are scarce and if you find one you are poorly unqualified. Oh you want someone with a college degree? Oh you want someone with four years experience? Oh you want someone without a crazy job past?
I've never owned a credit card, because I knew I would never be able to pay it off. I remember meeting some people and they were talking about their crap jobs and how it only paid $14 an hour. I remember trying to control my face from the shock. $14 an hour?! I'd feel like a millionaire. I didn't even know people could get that much. I thought I was lucky when one job I landed paid $6 an hour. I was elated. Because it was a whole dollar more than most of my other jobs.
I have also never been asked out on a date or had a boyfriend. Chances of me ever getting married are extremely slim. So basically chances of me ever leaving the only home I've ever known or my family, striking out on my own, are also extremely slim.
Which brings us back to the issue of health. I have never been someone of independent means like my sister. My parents have had to support me my entire life, and continue to do so still. I have never been able to afford any type of health thing; a doctors visit, a dental visit, prescriptions, etc. In the late 1990s we heard about the rural clinic that works on a sliding scale. You pay, depending on what you make. We pay the lowest amount possible because none of us have ever made enough. My sister paid more when she had that good paying job, but not by much. A visit to one of either the health or the dental clinic is $20. If you have a complete work up done where they test everything they can test with your blood and plasma it is $90. If you get a filling or a dental cleaning or a tooth pulled it is an extra $20 - $25 on top of the $20 visit. And because I am not on Medicaid like my parents are now, I still have to use the pharmacy attached to these clinics to buy generic medicines for anywhere between $6 and $12 dollars.
It also comes at a price, this cheapness. There is only so much these clinics can do. They can give you a voucher and direct you to a place for xrays or therapy or surgeries, but if you don't have insurance you're in for trouble. The clinics have three basic functions; "Hmm.. I wonder what this could be?" bodily fluid testing and writing presciptions. And they say they will call you in two weeks with the results, but they don't. You have to jump through hoops to get results two months later.
I have never been able to afford even this inexpensive type of health 'care'. I have had to rely on my parents to pay. Hell, even when my dad still filed his taxes, I was always listed as a dependent. My dad does not file, but gets something from the Social Security office. My dad explains at the clinics, so they'll have it on file, that my mother and I are to be counted on his sliding scale.
Plus, my parents are strange. They will go to the doctor for anything under the sun. If I ask, they will say OK, I make the appointment and when the time comes they always freak out about money. This was even true, though not to the extent that it is today, when I was still a teenager. So, I learned very early on to have the mentality of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Preemptive health care is a fantasy in my life. It is something too difficult to obtain. It is not feesible to go to the doctor before something is wrong. And even when something is wrong, they just fix the ailment and not the problem. My legs are severely swollen? "Here take this diuretic." and we won't bother finding out what the real problem is. I threw my back out? "Here take these muscle relaxers and forget about it." and we won't bother finding out what the real problem is. "Oh diabetese and heart disease run in your family? Well, we can do blood work, if you think it's necessary." When you finally are able to reach them several months later, they're like "Yeah, you're fine, whatevs!" Is there anything elevated? "Yeah, but it's fine!" And then you hear *click* as they hang up the phone.
Super helpful guys. Real bang up job you're doing there! But can you blame them? They do not get paid enough to even really care, not to mention that they see a lot of people every day. A LOT of people. A lot of people all in the same boat as I am. The lowest payment on the sliding scale, do not have insurance, only coming in when something is seriously wrong. A lot of them only wanted the quick fix, because they don't have the money to worry about what the underlying factors are because they couldn't afford to fix them anyway.
I remember, when we still could afford TV, watching Dr. G Medical Examiner. It was interesting, but the one thing that bothered me is on a lot of autopsies she'd find what killed them and say, "THIS! This is very treatable and easy to fix when you're alive. There's no excuse for this death if they'd just gone to the doctor." You can probably see why this statement was bothersome; if I am someone who will probably be the "could have easily avoided this death" person in the coroner's office, then I know I'm not the only one. And when I see all the people at the clinics and read stories like the one I referenced here or from other news sources about all the people who are not able to get to doctors and can not afford preemptive health care or who do not have insurance, then it's a pretty shitty comment from Dr. G and only shows that she's always had health insurance and preemptive health care and can't even comprehend what it's like for those of us who live this way every day.
So, short of having blood coming out of every oraphace or being in so much pain that I can't move without crying, I just don't go to a doctor. What's the point? I can't afford it, my parents freak out about it, the clinics aren't really helpful and I don't really qualify for their voucher program. It's like getting a coupon to a restaurant that expired last year.
Needless to say, I was a little excited about being on a health care plan, but wasn't holding my breath. Good thing I didn't; hold my breath, I mean, because that's not something the clinics are good at helping with and my parents wouldn't have paid the $20 for that visit anyway.
If Bryant had extended Medicaid, I would be covered. But then knowing the way it's set up in this state, I still would have had to pay at least $100 every month, which if I can't afford the clinics and my parents can barely afford them, then obviously I can't afford health insurance, considering the clinics are far cheaper. But Medicaid wasn't extended and I'm still where I've been for the past eighteen years. Luckily I won't get slapped with a penalty, because I do not, nor have I ever made enough to file taxes.
Which, of course, all of this only adds to the sheer absurdity that is my life, if you've read any previous posts about how posh our home is. During the times we are healthy and have actual food, the opulance of our comfort and lives is fun and eccentric and fascinating. But sometimes you wish you could find a buyer for the late 18th century Chippendale hall mirror or could take it to a doctor and say, "Here, I need this surgery." or here Mr. Grocer, I'd like some food. But you can't. I suppose us not finding buyers for things is the same thing where it's difficult for me to find a job or keep one. When you know, you know; but if you've never experienced that it can't be explained.
I remember a friend once being disbelieving of our poverty. It didn't matter to her that these things were not purchased but given to us, apparently since that just doesn't happen to 'real' people, so I can't really blame her for not understanding. She could not understand living in such a large house with such nice things but claiming to not afford health insurance or food. But, I equally could not understand how someone with apparently nothing could have so much. She was given a home, health care is something that is easy for her to come by and she could buy a brand new laptop in the store without credit or saving up for it. Neither person is right or wrong. But her being able to pay cash for a brand new laptop in the store, without any discounts, coupons, credit or saving up was akin to people making $14 an hour at a job. It was like she was telling me a fairy tale, only I was with her when she made the purchase and saw it with my own eyes.
Her life seems rather pleasant from where I'm sitting, but she would disagree on a certain level; which I would do likewise of my own situation. It's just bizarre the things that happen in this life and that poverty or wealth do not have one defining feature. My father grew up in a low middle class family. There was always food on the table and his father always had a job. Yet, they were poor and my father sometimes went without food or new clothes, instead wearing hand-me-downs with holes and rips in them. There will be people more wealthy to say that he was poor and people more poor to say that he was wealthy. It's not really a competition, life is just what it is and there are many factions and many scenarios that make up everyone's lives. I'm sure most people could, if they really looked, see their lives from the bigger picture and see how odd it really is. I only really know my life and how odd it was, so this is what I talk about.
To surmise, our former Governor, Haley Barbour, wanted to jump onboard with a healthcare market place similar to Mitt Romney's. Things were started, the ball was rolling; entire groups of people here who had no access to healthcare would be covered, including myself. But then Phil Bryant got into office and he's dug his heels in. I'm not really sure how we'll vote him out.
Bryant basically put a ridiculous political agenda before his own people. All the work that Barbour and Chaney (not VP Chaney) initiated, that hundreds of people worked on for several years, Bryant flushed it all down the toilet at the last minute. He refused to accept the Affordable Care Act (ACA), so we were denied. If things had gone down the way they should have, we would have been an independent healthcare state garnering hundreds of millions of dollars. But because of Bryants actions, we are bascially included because we have to be and alotted a paltry sum. He also refused to expand Medicaid.
Refusing to expand Medicaid basically means that the people who needed it most, the people Barbour and the US Government with the ACA were trying to help, still go without. In fact, people who once could afford some type of insurance are now not eligable under the ACA the way it is set up with Medicaid. We have more uninsured people now than before this started.
My parents had healthcare at one point, but because of rising prices they dropped it in the early 1990s. We simply did not make enough money to pay the monthly premiums. That fact has not changed. My parents, however are older. They qualify for Social Securty. They are also quality for Medicaid because of their ailments. Neither of them could work now, even if they wanted to. My mother has very bad arthiritis and my father's heart is not up to scratch, plus he has something to do with bad nerves in his legs and diabetes.
Basically all this amounts to is that they get some money from Social Security every month. But it is barely enough to cover one person in basic home bills, health, and food. Forget being able to really afford healthy food like fruits and vegatables. And they are able to get their prescriptions for any price under $10, which I admit is quite helpful.
But my parents Social Security payments do not merely pay for them. My sister and I both live at home. She lost a good paying job in 2012 and I lost a job that paid hardly anything a few weeks ago. My sister has lived on her own before. My parents are glad to have her live here. I, on the other hand, could be considered the "special" kid of the family. The burden. I do not want to be, but it feels that way, to me, sometimes. Or most of the time. Or part of the time.
I never finished university. My maternal grandfather set up money accounts for my brother and sister in a considerable amount for their college educations. I wasn't born yet, so I missed out on that. Their accounts had years and years to grow from interest. My aunt persisted in asking my grandmother to set one up for me. When my grandmother finally did it was five years before I would graduate high school with a tenth of what was put into accounts for my brother and sister. I ran out of money two years in.
I can't blame it all on this either. I wasn't very good at university. I can't blame it all on my mother either, who changed my classes during my senior year of high school and made it so I would graduate early and go to the big university here in town. But, I know myself. I know that I can't jump from a bowl into an ocean, that there needs to be something in between. I also am kind of slow emotionally. I was enjoying high school, as much as one can. I wanted to finish and graduate and enjoy being carefree. I also wanted to go to community college for two years before going to the university. None of this happened, my heart wasn't in it, it was a lot for me to handle and I wasted the money for university by having to take classes over.
So, I have no formal education. I am a high school graduate or "some college", but no degree. I have never lived on my own, because it was too intimidating, coupled with the fact that any of the jobs I ever had I was always fired from with in three months and I never had enough money to move out in the first place. The only other person I have ever personally known who experienced what I did with jobs was my brother. He also would get jobs and be fired just as quickly. You clean the area, you're friendly, you clock in on time, you don't steal, but you get fired when the other workers who stay clocked in on breaks or leave early, are rude to customers or steal get to keep their jobs.
I have had so many people say, "Why don't you just get student loans and go back to college. You really should." Or, "If you want to move, just move!" But, I don't understand these statements. Why would I want to go back to college if A) my heart wasn't in it and B) I would need to get student loans which all of you who tell me to get them, hate them and will be 60 by the time you pay them off? And how does one just move? You have no money and you get in your car and drive somewhere and what? Without anything lined up, without money? I don't understand how people do that. I, apparently, am not a person who can do that. And without a job how could I even, responsibly, move into a place with even twelve roommates?
"Then get a job. It's easy!" And this is where the part about my brother being the only other person to understand also comes in. It was never easy for him to find a job either. And good luck trying to keep it or immediately land another one. The people give that statement just figured I was giving excuses or I wasn't looking for jobs. Even looking for a job is difficult. Jobs are scarce and if you find one you are poorly unqualified. Oh you want someone with a college degree? Oh you want someone with four years experience? Oh you want someone without a crazy job past?
I've never owned a credit card, because I knew I would never be able to pay it off. I remember meeting some people and they were talking about their crap jobs and how it only paid $14 an hour. I remember trying to control my face from the shock. $14 an hour?! I'd feel like a millionaire. I didn't even know people could get that much. I thought I was lucky when one job I landed paid $6 an hour. I was elated. Because it was a whole dollar more than most of my other jobs.
I have also never been asked out on a date or had a boyfriend. Chances of me ever getting married are extremely slim. So basically chances of me ever leaving the only home I've ever known or my family, striking out on my own, are also extremely slim.
Which brings us back to the issue of health. I have never been someone of independent means like my sister. My parents have had to support me my entire life, and continue to do so still. I have never been able to afford any type of health thing; a doctors visit, a dental visit, prescriptions, etc. In the late 1990s we heard about the rural clinic that works on a sliding scale. You pay, depending on what you make. We pay the lowest amount possible because none of us have ever made enough. My sister paid more when she had that good paying job, but not by much. A visit to one of either the health or the dental clinic is $20. If you have a complete work up done where they test everything they can test with your blood and plasma it is $90. If you get a filling or a dental cleaning or a tooth pulled it is an extra $20 - $25 on top of the $20 visit. And because I am not on Medicaid like my parents are now, I still have to use the pharmacy attached to these clinics to buy generic medicines for anywhere between $6 and $12 dollars.
It also comes at a price, this cheapness. There is only so much these clinics can do. They can give you a voucher and direct you to a place for xrays or therapy or surgeries, but if you don't have insurance you're in for trouble. The clinics have three basic functions; "Hmm.. I wonder what this could be?" bodily fluid testing and writing presciptions. And they say they will call you in two weeks with the results, but they don't. You have to jump through hoops to get results two months later.
I have never been able to afford even this inexpensive type of health 'care'. I have had to rely on my parents to pay. Hell, even when my dad still filed his taxes, I was always listed as a dependent. My dad does not file, but gets something from the Social Security office. My dad explains at the clinics, so they'll have it on file, that my mother and I are to be counted on his sliding scale.
Plus, my parents are strange. They will go to the doctor for anything under the sun. If I ask, they will say OK, I make the appointment and when the time comes they always freak out about money. This was even true, though not to the extent that it is today, when I was still a teenager. So, I learned very early on to have the mentality of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Preemptive health care is a fantasy in my life. It is something too difficult to obtain. It is not feesible to go to the doctor before something is wrong. And even when something is wrong, they just fix the ailment and not the problem. My legs are severely swollen? "Here take this diuretic." and we won't bother finding out what the real problem is. I threw my back out? "Here take these muscle relaxers and forget about it." and we won't bother finding out what the real problem is. "Oh diabetese and heart disease run in your family? Well, we can do blood work, if you think it's necessary." When you finally are able to reach them several months later, they're like "Yeah, you're fine, whatevs!" Is there anything elevated? "Yeah, but it's fine!" And then you hear *click* as they hang up the phone.
Super helpful guys. Real bang up job you're doing there! But can you blame them? They do not get paid enough to even really care, not to mention that they see a lot of people every day. A LOT of people. A lot of people all in the same boat as I am. The lowest payment on the sliding scale, do not have insurance, only coming in when something is seriously wrong. A lot of them only wanted the quick fix, because they don't have the money to worry about what the underlying factors are because they couldn't afford to fix them anyway.
I remember, when we still could afford TV, watching Dr. G Medical Examiner. It was interesting, but the one thing that bothered me is on a lot of autopsies she'd find what killed them and say, "THIS! This is very treatable and easy to fix when you're alive. There's no excuse for this death if they'd just gone to the doctor." You can probably see why this statement was bothersome; if I am someone who will probably be the "could have easily avoided this death" person in the coroner's office, then I know I'm not the only one. And when I see all the people at the clinics and read stories like the one I referenced here or from other news sources about all the people who are not able to get to doctors and can not afford preemptive health care or who do not have insurance, then it's a pretty shitty comment from Dr. G and only shows that she's always had health insurance and preemptive health care and can't even comprehend what it's like for those of us who live this way every day.
So, short of having blood coming out of every oraphace or being in so much pain that I can't move without crying, I just don't go to a doctor. What's the point? I can't afford it, my parents freak out about it, the clinics aren't really helpful and I don't really qualify for their voucher program. It's like getting a coupon to a restaurant that expired last year.
Needless to say, I was a little excited about being on a health care plan, but wasn't holding my breath. Good thing I didn't; hold my breath, I mean, because that's not something the clinics are good at helping with and my parents wouldn't have paid the $20 for that visit anyway.
If Bryant had extended Medicaid, I would be covered. But then knowing the way it's set up in this state, I still would have had to pay at least $100 every month, which if I can't afford the clinics and my parents can barely afford them, then obviously I can't afford health insurance, considering the clinics are far cheaper. But Medicaid wasn't extended and I'm still where I've been for the past eighteen years. Luckily I won't get slapped with a penalty, because I do not, nor have I ever made enough to file taxes.
Which, of course, all of this only adds to the sheer absurdity that is my life, if you've read any previous posts about how posh our home is. During the times we are healthy and have actual food, the opulance of our comfort and lives is fun and eccentric and fascinating. But sometimes you wish you could find a buyer for the late 18th century Chippendale hall mirror or could take it to a doctor and say, "Here, I need this surgery." or here Mr. Grocer, I'd like some food. But you can't. I suppose us not finding buyers for things is the same thing where it's difficult for me to find a job or keep one. When you know, you know; but if you've never experienced that it can't be explained.
I remember a friend once being disbelieving of our poverty. It didn't matter to her that these things were not purchased but given to us, apparently since that just doesn't happen to 'real' people, so I can't really blame her for not understanding. She could not understand living in such a large house with such nice things but claiming to not afford health insurance or food. But, I equally could not understand how someone with apparently nothing could have so much. She was given a home, health care is something that is easy for her to come by and she could buy a brand new laptop in the store without credit or saving up for it. Neither person is right or wrong. But her being able to pay cash for a brand new laptop in the store, without any discounts, coupons, credit or saving up was akin to people making $14 an hour at a job. It was like she was telling me a fairy tale, only I was with her when she made the purchase and saw it with my own eyes.
Her life seems rather pleasant from where I'm sitting, but she would disagree on a certain level; which I would do likewise of my own situation. It's just bizarre the things that happen in this life and that poverty or wealth do not have one defining feature. My father grew up in a low middle class family. There was always food on the table and his father always had a job. Yet, they were poor and my father sometimes went without food or new clothes, instead wearing hand-me-downs with holes and rips in them. There will be people more wealthy to say that he was poor and people more poor to say that he was wealthy. It's not really a competition, life is just what it is and there are many factions and many scenarios that make up everyone's lives. I'm sure most people could, if they really looked, see their lives from the bigger picture and see how odd it really is. I only really know my life and how odd it was, so this is what I talk about.
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