{"items":["5f85ad1aaf823d001788e5a5","5f85ad1b337143001860307a","5f85ad1c4f62d10017ac0f69","5f85ad1cfdc4a3001756aded","5f85ad1c0d219200188b1739","5f85ad1d9f59490017c0b7fd","5f85ad1d9f59490017c0b804"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Strips","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"fill","cubeRatio":"100%/100%","isVertical":false,"gallerySize":30,"collageDensity":0.8,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":true,"imageMargin":0,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"rotatingScatter":"","chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":false,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":true,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":1,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":120,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":true,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":3,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_ON_HOVER","galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":true,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":1,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":18,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":160,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":0,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":50,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"jsonStyleParams":"","gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":220,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":5,"targetItemSize":220,"selectedLayout":"5|bottom|1|fill|false|1|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":5,"isSlideshowFont":true,"externalInfoHeight":0,"externalInfoWidth":0},"container":{"width":220,"height":284,"galleryWidth":220,"galleryHeight":123,"scrollBase":0}}
For the past five years I have been working as a freelance writer after having closed my failing restaurant business of 10 years. Freelancing is a low-paying job and a risky one, but I felt that following my dream of writing full time was the best thing I could do for my mental and physical well-being. I have held private health insurance on and off throughout the last 15 years, more off, because my premiums kept going up and my benefits kept going down. Mostly I simply didn’t visit doctors for many years, and when I did, I went to walk-in clinics when I was so sick I couldn’t stand it anymore. When I applied for health care at healthcare.gov in 2014 I was thrilled to have a premium that was about $100 per month, and covered my basics. I had a high deductible but that was better than nothing. But even with my rent, car expenses, phone bills, and food, it was still hard for me to make ends meet at $14,000 per year. I needed to make some changes to be able to have a better quality of life. I eventually gave up my car, and then my apartment to become a house-sitter, along with my writing. I was eligible for food stamps, and probably other assistance, but I was ashamed about my low income, and was afraid that people would see me using an EBT card. Last year I changed my Florida Blue health insurance plan to have a lower deductible and to include dental care. My salary had gone up to $18,000 and I felt that I could afford better care. By not having a car or apartment I had kept my expenses affordable. In spring of 2016 I came down with the flu that turned into bacterial pneumonia. I was covered by Florida Blue for every expense incurred with those illnesses, which lasted close to 30 days. Two months later I had a bowel blockage caused by a hernia, and had to have surgery. My out of pocket expenses totaled about $300. The hospital bill was well over $20,000. In early 2017, I discovered that I didn’t have to pay a premium at all. I made an appointment with a young man at Florida Blue to make sure that my insurance was still on track – I was worried because I hadn’t received a bill. He explained that because of my low income, my tax credit now covered my entire premium. Healthcare.gov has given me a quality of life and peace of mind that is unrivaled in any other assistance program. Even with my low income I could still manage my grocery bill and other expenses, but when it comes to healthcare, there is no way I could possibly pay for a serious illness. And if I couldn’t, where would I be? Most likely, hopelessly in debt…