December 10, 2009-Ashley Freund has the same common worries as many of her fellow young people: work, bills, friendships, boyfriends, the list continues. However, Freund has an additional worry that is becoming more and more common for people her age, that being health care.
Freund, 20, lives in Grand Blanc with her parents. They previously had health care from her dad’s job, but since being laid off in September, the entire family has gone without coverage. Without income, the have no money to provide basic needs, nonetheless health insurance.
“The biggest problem I have is the stress I know it causes my parents,” says Freund. “They hate that they can’t provide for me, but I don’t blame them. I just wish I could take care of myself.”
Taking care of herself provides yet another obstacle. Freund works as a hostess at Applebee’s. The company does not provide benefits, however they do try to help their employees get coverage.
“Applebee’s teamed with Aflac to try to provide ‘affordable’ coverage,” says Freund, “but I make like $500 a month. Just the $80 a month for benefits is too much. I can’t afford any of it.”
This is an issue that causes a lot of additional stress for people of all ages. Nationalized health care was one of the main issues that Obama was elected president on (for more on his plan, see the video below). The House of Representatives recently passed their own form of a health care bill and the Senate appears to be on track to do the same. If they do, both legislative groups must conference to agree on one bill for a vote, and if passed, then the president must sign the bill into a law.
According to a Gallup report, 16 percent of Americans do not have health insurance coverage of any kind. Over 31 percent of Americans age 19-29 are currently living without health insurance. However, there are some programs out there trying to help.
For young people, while it is not health insurance, many universities offer some form of health care to students. Most have a health clinic on campus that offers free appointments and check-ups; however, the cost of medication is generally not covered.
Also, many groups are beginning to work with universities to take care of the students. For example, the University of Michigan-Flint works with the Urban Health and Wellness Center to provide health care for enrolled students at the university. While it is a much cheaper option that paying for insurance, appointments still cost students $25.00 plus the cost of medicine.
Another option is The Genesee Health Plan (GHP) is a health coverage program available to residents of Genesee county (details can be found below).
"GHP is a limited health benefit program for residents of Genesee County, it is not insurance," said Flint Mayor Dayne Walling. "There is no cost to join GHP and no monthly fees, but there are minimum co-pays for services and prescriptions. It also doesn't cover hospitalization."
There is still much coverage needed in the Flint area, despite all of these programs.
"I strongly believe that health care is extremely important to all the citizens of Flint," said Mayor Walling. "I also believe all citizens are concerned regarding the type of health care reform that may be enacted. It is one of my top federal priorities."
While most Democrats, like Walling, are interested in a single-payer option (that payer being the government), Republicans have a different viewpoint.
"A single-payer option will leave the government in charge of people's lives and their deaths," says Michigan Representative Paul Scott. "Insurance companies do need to be reigned in, but we just need regulation of those companies. The Obama plan calls for a complete overhaul of the system and government take-over. It is the last thing Americans need."
Freund said she wasn't aware of GHP and is planning on looking into it for her and her family, although it still doesn't cover everything she would hope. Freund says she is also looking forward to attending college in the fall and hopes she can find some help there.
“I’m not sure what school I’m going to yet, but I’m hoping they can provide me with some sort of insurance or health benefits,” says Freund. “It would be a lot of weight off my shoulders.”
Eligibility Info For GHP
Currently, there are two parts to GHP: Plan A and Plan B. Plan A members, formerly the State Medical Program (SMP), typically earn less than $500 a month and eligibility is determined through the Department of Human Services (previously named Family Independence Agency). Plan B members may apply through the Genesee County Health Department. To qualify for Plan B, members must be:
-19-64 years old
-No other insurance including Medicaid or Medicare
-Income at or below 175% of the Federal Poverty level
-Genesee County resident and a U.S. Citizen
President Obama's healthcare plan in a nutshell
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This story, in a way, hits home. While I have insurance until I turn 25 because of my fathers employment, my mother along with my half brother do not. A couple of years ago, my mother, at the age of 41 became pregnant, when my stepdad was between jobs. With all the stress, the beginning of the recession and everything else we have to deal with, she miscarried. She was unable to visit the doctors, which would have told her she was at a high risk pregnancy (because of her age) and that the doctors would have most likely put her on bed rest. Instead, because she had no insurance, she had to spend hours in the emergency room where workers are in no way sensitive when it comes to giving out bad news.
ReplyDeleteI feel for people who dont have insurance. If it werent for my father, I would have no insurance either and definetly would not be able to afford it on my own. Something needs to change. There are so many ways this economy needs to be fixed and personally I think that it takes only a little bit of thinking, but obviously no one has their hard hats on.