Blog Archives

By: Sunshine Hedlund

In 2012, I left a job that I did not like, though it had good insurance, to become a nanny—a job I love. I assumed I could get an individual insurance policy, but I was denied due to pre-existing conditions. Their reasons? Past kidney stones, polycystic ovary syndrome, and a height to weight ratio insurers deemed unacceptable though I was otherwise healthy.

Minnesota’s high-risk pool’s premiums were far too expensive for limited benefits. In fact, it was so costly that it was cheaper for me to pay for COBRA benefits through my former employer, which was still ridiculously expensive.

Fortunately, soon after my COBRA benefits ended, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was in place and I secured an affordable plan through MNSure. Thanks to the ACA, we were also able to get insurance for my husband, who had been uninsured for years due to the cost.

I want politicians to know that these are real people, real lives that they are hurting. Real lives they are impacting with their votes.

Then in 2014, after years of trying, I got pregnant. When we reapplied through MNSure, I (and my baby) ended up qualifying for Medical Assistance—which was huge for us.… Continue reading »

Right now, I’m on Medical Assistance (MA). I’m grateful for the coverage, but I struggle to access the dental care that I need. Despite the fact that dental health is critical to our overall health, dental health care isn’t covered by MA the same way as general health care. MA covers the very basics, and at only a handful of clinics. That means I have to wait weeks to months to get an appointment.

Cleanings, extractions, x-rays, dentures and check-ups are covered—but nothing else. Imagine the stress of needing oral health care and not being able to afford it.

Because of the lack of coverage, my teeth are rotten. I need dentures, but unfortunately, I can’t get them. The dentists I have visited who accept Medicaid and provide dentures have shamed me for having bad teeth at such a young age. Instead, I’ve been told I should “fix” my rotten teeth. Of course, that would require work not covered by MA, so I would be billed obscene amounts of money.

The clinics are also often not up-to-date, with ancient equipment that makes me feel unsafe and at-risk.

I feel completely neglected by care providers and I also feel as if the State of Minnesota—generally—does not care about my needs, given that this has been allowed to go on for so long.

By: Raye Perez

Last spring, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression, in addition to diabetes, which I have been working to manage for a while. It was a difficult time, but I was able to get on the right medication and manage both my physical and mental health.

After finding the medication that worked, I was able to keep working and going to school without feeling burnt out, exhausted, or sick. When I started to feel better, I was able to give back to my community even more by becoming involved in politics and campus organizations.

Without my care, I wouldn’t be who I am and my life would be dramatically different.

I’m enrolled in Blue Cross Blue Shield through my parents’ employer. I can go to the doctor and get the medications I need at little-to-no-cost upfront. If I didn’t, I don’t know how I would afford my medications. I already work two jobs, and I rely on my medications to be able to work in the first place.

Despite the privilege of having health care, the constant worry of losing coverage looms over me. We deserve stable, affordable health care we can count on.

I have coverage now, but when I turn 26, I could lose that coverage.… Continue reading »

Minnesotans are struggling under the weight of prescription drug costs. We have a choice this session: allow our health care money to go to profits, or pass legislation to make sure our health care money goes to care. This week, we’re sharing stories of how the rising cost of prescription drugs are affecting every day Minnesotans.

HEALTH IN JEOPARDY

“I lost my job last month. My first fear wasn’t how am I going to eat or pay rent. My first fear was, ‘How am I going to afford my mental health medications that will help me survive during this extremely challenging time, when my mental health is in most jeopardy?’ Even before I applied for unemployment, I applied for MinnesotaCare. I thankfully was able to get on a program to keep my medications.” -Andy, Minneapolis

25 KIDNEY STONES

“I’ve had over 25 kidney stones in my life, but I stopped taking a medication prescribed to prevent forming new stones because it costs more than $1000 for three months’ worth of pills. When I was first prescribed the medication, I had great employers sponsored insurance which covered the costs. Now, I have to buy my insurance on the exchange and there is no way I can afford the cost.… Continue reading »

By: McKenzie Shappell

I am 25. Anyone my age is keenly aware of that number and shares my anxiety as they contemplate the very real cost that one more birthday represents.

While many of us have long been forced by circumstance to manage our health care alone, still more of us are now preparing to face that hydra as we prepare to age out of our parents’ insurance plans. In a matter of months, I will join the throngs of Americans chasing the elusive specter of continuous employment (at 25? Please.) or taking their chances on the exchange. This is the anxious reality for the vast numbers of us in need of medication to treat chronic and temporary conditions, battle mental illness, and prevent diseases.

As a gay man, I’m considered to be part of a high-risk community—one where the chances of contracting HIV through sexual contact are greater than for most other groups. Like countless others in my community, I use a pre-exposure prophylaxis drug known commonly as Truvada, to prevent the spread of HIV from person to person. Truvada is also often utilized in the treatment and management of HIV itself and is therefore vital to the health and welfare of people across the spectrum of sexual orientation.… Continue reading »

By: Katy W.

I’ve grown up in St. Cloud since age 5. This is the community I’ve chosen to raise my kids in and the city I’ve chosen to be involved in. I chaired my neighborhood association, and have been involved in local politics, my church, and TakeAction Minnesota.

I’m also one of many people in our community who has had to make incredibly hard choices because of a sick family member and a system of care that wasn’t there for me and my family.

The first year my son was diagnosed with LCH, a cross between a cancer and a leukemia, I felt incredibly isolated and scared. I was a new mother with a sick 2-year-old. It was overwhelming. I had a 6-week-old baby and a 2-year-old who was projectile vomiting like The Exorcist. It wasn’t just overwhelming. It was one of the worst times in my life.

We got access to medical assistance through the county and state, but we still struggled to make ends meet. Going from two incomes to one makes a huge difference when you are choosing between gas to get to work or fresh apples at the market or diapers. It’s hard to make ends meet and not end up homeless because you didn’t pay rent. … Continue reading »

By: Willa Pearls

A few weeks ago, I ended up in the hospital. I survived because of Medicaid and Medicare. These programs allow me to do the things that keep me alive and allow me to live a productive life.

I have needed health care my whole life, like every person in this country. But in my 40s, after physical and stress-related health problems, I found myself disabled and unable to work. I have diabetes, a mild anxiety disorder, and other health issues that limit my ability to work, move around, and get what I need.

I want people to realize that life happened to me, and what happened to me can happen to anyone.

I’m lucky to have children who are wonderful and help me in my life. I’m lucky to have people in my community who help me and whom I can help. I like my life, and I would not be able to have the life I have without programs like Medicaid and Medicare. Having affordable health care gave me the chance to get my master’s degree and complete PhD courses. Having affordable health care gave me the ability to substitute teach in the Minneapolis School District.

I currently tutor in my community.… Continue reading »

By: Jacob Skahl

Last December, I lost my health care for three months. It felt terrible. I knew that if anything happened, the out-of-pocket expenses would make it impossible for me to pay rent or buy food. I spent over $100 just to go to a routine doctor’s appointment and get a prescription refilled. I was in a constant state of fear that something would happen.

When I didn’t have access to health care for those three months, I worried about how I would get the care I needed. Now that I am on MinnesotaCare, I worry about how I will afford it. Even with coverage, I’m constantly asking myself if I will be able to survive a medical emergency.

Every day health care is on my mind. And every day I make hard choices between making ends meet and dealing with pain.

This lack of health care access is both systemic and intergenerational. Many of my family members have medical debt that they will never be able to pay off, and they have been forced out of their homes because of it. My dad is a retired veteran. After 18 years of working in labor, he is physically disabled. He worked so hard for so long, and all he has to show for it are his medical bills.… Continue reading »

Sarah Piepenburg runs a small business, Vinaigrette, in Minneapolis. She is a member of Main Street Alliance of Minnesota, an organization that works to provide small businesses a voice in the most pressing public policy issues in Minnesota and nationally.

We started our business, Vinaigrette, over ten years ago. When we started it, we didn’t really think about health care. We were fortunate because, through our husband’s previous employer, we were still covered under COBRA. When COBRA expired, we were full-swing into our business. We were surprised to find out that as a family of three, we made $24,000. This put us way below the poverty line, which in some ways was fortunate, because then were covered under Medical Assistance.

We were covered under MA for a few years, and then came the Affordable Care Act. I excitedly went online to figure out what I could get, but our income at the time was too low, so we didn’t qualify for the open market. But we no longer qualified for MA, so we were put on the supplemental track. It wasn’t really a problem because it was something we could afford. But then, in 2017, we as a family made $57,670.… Continue reading »

By: Riley Schumacher

When I was an infant, I was diagnosed with common variable immune deficiency.

I spent most of my childhood fighting for my life, spending time in hospital beds, hoping that I would make it to adulthood. My parents spent most of their time fighting for me, either with doctors or health insurance companies that didn’t want to cover me because of my health problems.

My mother took care of me, comforted me, and made sure I was supported. My dad fought for me by advocating and often fighting against health insurance companies to get coverage for experimental treatments. They knew how to navigate the health care system in order to get the care that I needed and keep me alive.

I know that many people with my health problems would not have had access to the same resources. They would not have been able to afford the live-saving care they need.

I am lucky to be alive. But the lives of Minnesotans shouldn’t be dependent on luck. 

Because the state of Minnesota values its children, I was put on TEFRA—Medical Assistance (MA) for children with disabilities. When I got older, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, asthma, and mental health complications.… Continue reading »

By: Devin Helmick

I live in Central Minnesota and get health care through MinnesotaCare.

I don’t have enough money to purchase private insurance, and my work doesn’t provide healthcare benefits. The situation is complicated by me having a Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI)—specifically depression—which pushes me to near suicide and has led to several attempts in the past. Depression made life unbearable for me. Every waking day had some sort of insurmountable suffering that I could not quite overcome, despite outward appearances.

That all changed roughly a year ago when I was lucky enough to be able to get myself a proper diagnostic exam done, and was able to get psychiatric care and medications that have helped me manage my depression. Things are far from perfect, however the difference on my life is night and day already.

There is just one problem: the medications combined cost well over $1000.

I am lucky to have insurance through the state of Minnesota, which is the only reason I’m able to afford the cost of my medications. This health care, however, is chained to my income. If my income rises too much, I could lose coverage and likely end up worse-off, having to get the lowest cost private insurance I could afford.… Continue reading »

By: Stuart Orlowski

Why is health care reform important to me? Because I’m afraid.

I’m afraid of unexpected, unpredictable costs that will hurt my livelihood. Last year I broke my hand. I had insurance, so I assumed that most of the costs would be covered for my care. Surgery was not required for my injury, just an x-ray and a splint. Still, I was surprised to find that my out-of-pocket expenses were over $400. 

That was on top of other, smaller incidents. Like paying $250 for a strep test after having a sore throat for two weeks.

I felt financial pain on top of these injuries. And while I managed to pay these bills, studies have shown that 57% of Americans can’t cover a $500 emergency. Health care costs can easily snowball—and the majority of us can’t keep up.

I’m afraid for my uninsured friends and family—that they will become sick or injured and what that would mean for their economic stability and health.

Also last year, I got food poisoning while traveling to Chicago. 

The pressure on my chest was unbearable.  My friends advised me to go to the hospital. After all, chest pain could mean a number of things. … Continue reading »

By: Efemona Kosi

I am lucky to be covered under my parent’s healthcare plan.

My mother is a nurse and my father is a correctional officer. We’re ensured under my father’s employer because he works for the state. As a result, his plan offers more benefits at a lower price. I am under 26 years old, so I have a few more years to benefit from that coverage, thanks to provisions in the Affordable Care Act.  Nevertheless, my ability to use these services has always been limited by high copayments and deductibles.

Sometimes, I forget this fact because I feel so grateful just to have coverage. But having coverage and being able to access coverage are two very different things.  

I was reminded of this reality when my tooth began to hurt recently, and I realized I’ve only been to the dentist twice in my life. The copayments are about $35. For some, that might not seem high; but as a college student, that’s a week worth of groceries. So I reevaluated whether my tooth really hurt “that badly,” and I took as many ibuprofens as allowed. I hoped that my symptoms didn’t get any worse. I do this with other issues, too.… Continue reading »

By: Anne Tews

In 2010, I lost my job and got health care coverage through Thrivent. It cost an arm and a leg, and if I were to use it I’d have to pay a high deductible before coverage would kick-in. Even getting my annual check-up was difficult because of the hoops the insurance company made me jump through. That’s why I was thrilled that the Affordable Care Act allowed me to get MNSure coverage in 2013.

My right foot had been bothering me since 2010, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. Now that I had coverage, I could finally look into it.

I went in for an annual check-up (my first in a couple of years) and mentioned my sore foot. X-rays showed that I had osteoarthritis in one joint, and I was told that I needed to see an orthopedic doctor about treatment. A few weeks and more x-rays later, I got the news that there was no cartilage left in my joint and I would have to undergo a talonavicular joint fusion.

The fusion would require inserting two 1.75″ screws into my joint and 2-3 pins into my foot. But it was worth it for what I thought would be a permanent solution.… Continue reading »