A few months ago, my health insurance company insisted that I have a thorough check-up, perhaps on account of my age.
I sort of felt like a used car somebody was thinking about buying. They popped the hood, kicked the tires and put me up on the rack where all sorts of things could be examined. Among the procedures was a check-up with my doctor, blood work, a colonoscopy and a CT Scan of my lungs. Until last week, it wasn’t costly, mainly just $40 co-pays. I did have to pay a little for the colonoscopy and CT Scan – about $250 combined.
The CT Scan captured an image of the upper part of my kidneys, which prompted my doctor to send me to a urologist, who said there was something on one of my kidneys he wanted to take a look at and ordered another CT Scan to capture images of my entire kidneys.
This time, however, I had to pay the bulk of the cost for the new CT Scan, to the tune of $1,065.
I’ll go back later this week to find out what the urologist learned from the scan. This is one of those situations when you actually hope it was money wasted.
I’m not complaining about the cost. On the contrary, I am happy to have health insurance. I’m on the hook for about $1,400 so far. Without insurance, I’d probably owe three or four times that much. It wouldn’t bankrupt me, but it would call for some belt-tightening.
Mind you, up to this point, this whole exercise is precautionary.
I’m fortunate to have a job I love, one that provides health insurance, so I can afford to take these precautions.
Not everyone can say that, of course. It is estimated there are between 200,000 and 300,000 Mississippians whose employers do not offer health insurance plans. Most of these jobs are low-wage jobs in the service industry — hotel maids, restaurant workers, unskilled laborers, day care workers, etc. — folks who make too much to qualify for Medicaid as it currently exists in our state, but not enough to pay for a health-insurance plan.
These are not lazy people — in fact, the work they perform is often the most physically-demanding out there.
They’re not looking for a handout, either. You know many of these people and can vouch for their character. It’s your favorite waiter or hostess at your favorite restaurant. It’s the guy who cuts your lawn or the lady who cuts your hair. We rely on these people every day, although we sometimes take them for granted.
So I ask you to think about one of the people who are in this situation that you have come to know and appreciate. Does it not bother you at all that he or she cannot afford a health care plan? Do you feel he or she is somehow unworthy of this service?
My $1,500 check-up would cost her $6,000, something she could not afford.
Because I had health insurance that made my check-up affordable, I learned there’s something going on with one of my kidneys, so even if it turns out to be minor, it is well worth the cost.
But that favorite waiter of yours couldn’t afford a check-up and so may not be aware of a medical condition that can be successfully treated now, but catastrophic left unattended.
People like her — friendly, hard-working, decent people — are dying as a result because our state leadership continues to refuse to expand Medicaid to these people under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010. The federal government foots the bill for 90 percent of the cost of providing health insurance to working people who cannot afford it. It’s been proven that expanding Medicaid is good for the economy and that any cost to the state is easily made up for by the jobs expansion would create. It would also be an enormous benefit to our hospitals. Rural hospitals are facing collapse. Bigger hospitals – including St. Dominic’s (Jackson), Memorial Hospital (Gulfport) and Oschner’s hospitals (Meridian, Morton, DeKalb, Quitman and Union) – are laying off employees and eliminating some services.
Gov. Tate Reeves remains steadfastly opposed to Medicaid expansion. Brandon Presley, Reeves’ challenger, fully embraces expansion. Either would have the authority to expand Medicaid with the stroke of a pen, but only one will use it.
The name of that favorite waitress won’t be on the ballot in November, but her fate may be.
Your vote will have life-and-death consequences.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 39 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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