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Before I was diagnosed, I was working full time at a nursing home.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer
I chose not to get health coverage at the time because the premiums were too
expensive
So at the time of my diagnosis I had no coverage at all
I remember saying to my doctor "You know
the I don't have health insurance. Would I be,
you know, bankrupt? Would I have to move in with my
my mom and my sister? What will I do?
What will I do? They helped me sign up for Medicaid.
The Healthy Michigan plan is just truly amazing.
The expansion of Medicaid will enable patients to be seen
by primary care physicians. Knowing that other women
who were going through the same things I were or even men
who were going through cancer of any type of cancer, any type or major medical-
to know that now that they can have coverage
is amazing. The healthy michigan plan will give people access to primary care
They will be able to seek treatment before things become
a crisis. They'll also be able to seek preventive care
and stay healthy in the first place. Medicaid carried me through,
supported me, and was my partner
through the five-year process
of chemo
and
the upkeep that I needed to stay healthy
well I'm a supporter of Healthy Michigan for a couple of reasons
to begin with I I just think it's the right thing for us to do
it's important that all people have access to health care but I also think
it's a business decision
I think it makes good business sense for us because whether a small business owner
knows it or not we are paying for the cost of
uncompensated care. Overnight it gives half million people in our state,
our friends and neighbors access to health care which they didn't have before
affordable access to health care. Our whole goal is
that patients actually are living healthy lives and not
walking around
with treatable conditions. The reason for not having my health insurance coverage
was
because I coudln't afford it. And it had nothing to do with my lack of not wanting to work
had nothing to do with my lack of education- just falling on hard times
it's also going to help
many of us who have one, two or three jobs trying to support
our families and our selves and keep our
home
it's there for all of us who need it. I've been able to choose the doctors that I
want to go to
I was concerned having Medicaid I wouldn't be able to choose
I had excellent care. The nurses
with the chemo became friends
it's great that I know I have those teams of doctors. We do believe
that healthy Michigan and the expansion of this program
is critical because it's something practical that we can do
to help members of our community
and also our state.
I really feel like I picked a team. I didn't know what I would do so having this program
really helped me out a lot.
It really gave me that ease of mind that I could concentrate full-time
on getting well. My life has gone back to normal.
I'm self-employed
still I'm healthy, a good bill of health. I'm nine years
cancer free
I'm a survivor
What would I have done without it?
I don't want to think about it.