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Mike Saindon is working with Wellstone Action as an Online Communications Specialist.
As we watch the health care debate unfolding in Washington and on the television, and talk about it on our blog and around our kitchen tables, it makes me think about the human stories behind the policy debates. One recent run-in my family had with the health care system illustrates the difficult position so many of us are in.
Anyone who has small children will tell you-loading the car can be a hectic event. Late Monday afternoon was no different. My wife, Stacy and I decided to pack our daughters, Tess and Ruby, into our car and take a family walk around a lake in suburban Minneapolis. While I was locking up the house and in my mind, making sure we had everything for our walk, Stacy was strapping Ruby, our 11 month-old, into her car seat. During this time, Tess began the standard routine of crawling through the diver-seat, then ultimately into her chair in the back. When Stacy finished placing Ruby in her seat she closed the door.
Unbeknown to Stacy - Tess had placed her hand in the back door jam. As soon as she closed the door and heard Tess cry out, she snatched her up to comfort her spirits and examine her hand. By the sheer sound of the door closing and the decibel level from Tess' cry I knew it could be serious, but my next thought was just as troubling. How are we going to pay the medical bill? Not, "is she ok?" or "do we need to go to the emergency room?"-the only thing I could think about was opening the invoice a month from now.
At the beginning of my unemployment, 6 months ago, we purchased limited, temporary health insurance; my deductible is $1,000.
But my story is not unique. I, along with millions of Americans, fall into the category known as ‘underinsured, and the thought that I'm only a heart beat away from thousands of dollars of debt is a frustrating position to find myself in. The potential for terrible injuries and disease is bad enough as is, but with a young family, routine check-ups and shots are important milestones that can't and shouldn't be missed.
Fortunately for us, Tess' injury was ultimately ok-by the time our neighbor, who happens to be a nurse, was able to examine her hand and determine it was fine, the only thing my daughter was really concerned with was her ability to do fist bumps-I'm not sure what we would have done had her injury been more severe.
But I know I'm not alone in these concerns - but Congress needs to hear from us. If you've been through an experience like I have, or if you have strong feelings about health care or other issues, please, take the time this month to get in touch with your members of congress. Millions of Americans are counting on us.
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