By: Deborah L., Leon County
As a human service professional working as part of the glue that helps support the communities vulnerable, I have found myself on both side of the insurance crisis. In a position that provided no insurance and an income that placed me outside eligibility for subsidies. Any available policies through the marketplace required cost prohibitive monthly premiums ($800.00) leaving me without health care benefits.
Recently I have found myself without employment and attempting to register during open-enrollment when I learned that now I don’t qualify for health care because Florida didn’t take the Medicaid expansion finding myself one of 450,000 residents stuck in the health care “coverage gap.” As a person with major health concerns the absence of adequate health care creates an additional burden. Like many who find themselves without insurance coverage, I avoid seeking medical care for fear of crippling cost. As an aging professional who has also worked with poor and aging seniors, I understand the importance of access to preventative health services for quality and longevity of life.