Life of the DENIED and UNINSURED

Did you know that there is 46 million people in the United States that are uninsured? Utah ranks 34Th in the nation with 14% of the states population do not have any health insurance.

(And yes I googled that information. Come on now.. I'm not THAT intelligent.)

I am one of the 46 million that do not have health insurance.

When I lost health insurance when I was 17 years old. Luckily I had it when I first got sick and was covered with amazing insurance while going threw all of that. But when I lost it I realized how important it is to have it. I heard about this company called CHIPS. CHIPS is for kids who are under 18 years old and in school. Or you can also be covered if you are enrolled in school. Well my thought process is if I could afford to go to college I probably could afford insurance. Well when I was 17 I applied to be covered on CHIPS and I was approved on the condition that when I graduated high school or turned 18 first I would no longer be covered. My High School Graduation was on my 18Th Birthday. With my 22Nd Birthday right around the corner I am still with out insurance.

Since then I have had 3 surgeries and 4 hospital stays. Every time they assigned me a social worker to help with getting financial aid. I received one bill for $3,700 dollars. Everything was written out very detailed so I knew exactly what I was being charged for. ( Keep in mind then added up to be $3,700 dollars.)

Iv Bag ( that is literally just sugar water) : $27.00 dollars

Pain Pill every 4 hours: $17.00 dollars

Demoral injection: $120.00 dollars

New Iv Bag: $27.00 dollars

You get the idea...

And at the bottom of the bill right before the GRAND TOTAL it says

Financial Aid: - $15.00

Yes that's right. On a bill that large they were nice enough to give me 15 dollars off of my bill. Applying for the financial aid, getting copies of pay check stubs, verifying employment all of that trouble for 15 dollars.

I can truly say that their has been times while in the hospital or dealing with surgeons that I have definitely been treated differently because of having no insurance. Waiting until the last minute when they can no longer wait or put of doing surgery. Refusing to see me in an office visit because of not being able to pay a 175.00 dollar Co Pay. I was once even told that I needed to wait in the hall of the emergency room because I would be last to help. ( True Story)

I feel bad for anyone like me who does not have health insurance, and I think that the people who do don't know how lucky they are. I don't think that anyone my age should be into their eye balls of debt and ready to file for bankruptcy because of not having health insurance.

Luckily there is programs like the CONNECTION TO CARE and doctors like mine who fight to help their patients get the care that they need. If I could have one thing in the world it would Health Care Coverage. I won't go into the details but I have tried for years to get it from my work. Denied. I have done research myself finding company's that I could be covered independently and on every single application there is a section that lists numerous diseases, conditions, family history medical information and asks you to check the boxes that apply to you.

The first one lists:

FIBROMYALGIA

I must check that box.

DENIED

I tried to cheat and not check in one time but once they got my medical history and its in my chart I got a letter pretty much saying.. Sorry and Good luck with that!

Gee Thanks. That was almost as helpful as the $15.00 Dollars!!

CAN I PLEASE JUST HAVE SOME INSURANCE?!