THE RIGHT TO MY HEALTH

America, one of the most wealthiest and powerful countries in the world somehow can’t seem to provide affordable health care for its many citizens. According to the National Coalition on Health Care website in 2005, 47 million Americans did not have health coverage that is 16 percent of the population. Unfortunately the number of Americans with out health coverage is steadily increasing as fewer jobs provide heath benefits for their employees and the price of health insurance continues to rise.
A portion of the people who are affected by the high cost of health care are the young employed who are struggling to provide for themselves without the support of their parents.
For Caterina Lourenco her story is similar to many of her peers. Being cut off her parent’s health insurance at 18 never fazed her until she unexpectedly got pregnant. Her viewpoint on her future and the future of her health was forever changed. For Lourenco, medical insurance never really impacted her life so much. At 18 she was cut off her parents medical insurance that was covered by Kaiser. Two years later Lourenco looks back at her younger years and now understands the necessity of health care. “ I had it in my head to get medical insurance, but there was nothing really pushing me until I found out I was pregnant.” She said.
Lourenco is a young expectant mother. She works tirelessly continuing to take college classes and works two jobs as a part time sales associate at “Baby R Us” and full time sales associate at Sephora. Among the many difficult obstacles she would face as a young mother, the proper health care for herself and her unborn child was at the top of the list. Her full time job offered a limited amount of health coverage and did not cover pre natal care. Her part time job did not offer her health coverage because she was not a full time employee, thus leaving Lourenco questioning how she would afford to pay for health insurance. She began to research ways she would be able to receive medical coverage with little or no cost. Upon her research she found out about Medi-Cal. A state owned medical coverage for low-income families that is funded by the state of California.
According to the Medi-Cal website, The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is a department within the California Health and Human Services Agency. The programs are deisgned to, “deliver health care services to low-income persons and families who meet defined eligibility requirement. Emphasize prevention-oriented health care measures that promote health and well being. Ensure access to comprehensive health services through the use of public and private resources. As well as ensure appropriate and effective expenditure of public resources to serve those with the greatest health care needs.”
With no hesitation, Lourenco applied in hopes that she would not have to pay for the many pre natal care visits and periodical doctor check ups she would need during her pregnancy. Depending on the family income a person may qualify for free Medi-Cal coverage, however the higher the income the more expensive the co pay the patient has to pay.
Upon applying for Medi-Cal, Lourenco went through a long process to get her health insurance approved. She claimed there was little information provided so she had to take it upon herself to research what health coverage her and her unborn child would benefit from. While awaiting approval from Medi-Cal, Lourenco was forced to go to a community pregnancy center, a no cost center where pregnant women could go to get checked by nurse practitioners. There they offer basic needs for pregnant women who are waiting for their medical coverage to be approved.
The wait period can be a rigorous one. There is no sense of comfort or security. Not knowing what doctor you will have, what hospital you will go to or who will deliver you child is not a settling feeling for any expectant mother. During the application approval process Lourenco and her mother tried to get her back on her parents health insurance. However much to their surprise the process was even more rigorous then waiting for Medi-Cal. “ They told us I would have to be on a probation period of 90 days because I had what they called a ‘pre existing condition,’” she said.
After finally getting the health coverage approved by Medi-Cal Lourenco decided the next step was to find a permanent doctor. One that would aid her through the rest of her pregnancy and deliver her child. During the process of finding the right OBGYN Lourenco was turned down many times by doctors she hoped she would get. “Most hospitals accept Medi -Cal, but due to the fact that the state takes a really long time to pay. It’s at the doctor’s discretion if they want to accept your Medi Cal or not. Because it took so long for my Medi-Cal to be active the doctors that I wanted wouldn’t accept me because I was already too far along in the pregnancy,” she said. After finally finding a doctor who would accept her Medi-Cal Lourenco felt comfortable and safe for the first time in her pregnancy. “I get a sense of security and comfort knowing everything is straight and squared away,” she said.
Since then Lourenco has found a doctor she is comfortable with. She is happy knowing that any health issues she or her child may have can adequately be taken car of. Without the worry or stress of how it will be paid for.
Lourenco has high hopes for the future of health care and the Medi-Cal program. As of now and in the near future she has no intentions of changing her heath coverage until she will have a decent income to pay for a private health insurance. She hopes that with a new change in the White House, government officials will see the need of programs like Medi-Cal. Therefore making it more accessible, and allowing the information to be out there so people understand how it works and how it will help. “The long process makes it difficult, there are a lot of women out there that are pregnant and need help for themselves and the children they are carrying, “ she said. Lourenco hopes that her peers who are going through the same situation she did will have the patience to stick through the process. “I say to people like me, to just stick through it. It’s frustrating because you want it now, but as soon as you do get it it’s worth it. You don’t have to pay for anything and it really des help out, especially for young moms because more times then not they don’t have the money to pay for it. Nip it in the butt because things aren’t going to get any easier.” She said.
With Medi-Cal providing a more organized and efficient way of helping their applicants the long process Lourenco had to go through can easily be avoided. The health care system is increasing in cost. Hopefully more programs like Medi-Cal will become accessible to more Americans. So that all citizens are granted with the right to have their health properly taken care of. Therefore no citizen has to worry about how they will pay for a broken bone, a tumor, a flu shot, or in this case the safety and care of their unborn child.