Insurance for the Self-Employed
I was successfully self-employed a year ago, I didn’t have health insurance yet because I could not afford it despite making a decent amount of money. I was shopping around to try to find some. Then I got unexplainably ill, I went to every type of doctor and thousands of dollars later was diagnosed with an illness. The cost of on-going care for this was several thousand dollars per year. When I went back to get a second insurance quote, the rates had gone forn $400 a month to $950 per month due to my diagnosis. Now, many legislators like John McCain will have you think that I am a stupid person who is not to be pitied because I could have just paid $400 in the first place. Well $400 was not affordable then and would not be affordable now. Plus $400 equal $4800 per year which was about the same cost for just managing my illness without any further research or diagnosis. Now it would cost $11,400. I decided to shut down my business and go work for a company that provides benefits. Since I now have benefits at an affordable rate, I was finally diagnosed with the root cause of my illness and am on my way to full recovery. This Mr./Mrs/ Politicians is un-American. America is supposed to be the land of the self-made individual, yet we are stiffling small businesses with Health Care costs. People cannot afford health care, they can’t afford not to have health care, and they cannot afford their treatments now with or without healthcare. Sounds like something is totally broken to me.
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a peer support program for people with one or more serious or chronic medical issues or disabilities.
We aim to reduce isolation and fear among people who have conditions, including psychiatric illness, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mild dementia or other cognitive disorder or disability, thereby reducing depression and complications as people learn to improve self-management of their medical conditions.
Patient Pals help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration. They can help people develop a list of questions to ask the doctor and then accompany the person to the doctor to make sure all the questions are answered, taking notes to be sure the person understands the doctor’s answers.
Our trained volunteers also accompany their “Pals” to art exhibits, movies and walks outdoors, meet for coffee, call to check in and more.
Our Pals have experienced weight loss, improvement in diabetes, HIV, psoriasis, depression and more, just because they have someone who cares about them. Some relationships develop into longer-term friendships; other Pals move on to more independent lives.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.
Amen to that! I am self-employed as well. I am fortunate enough to get coverage through my husband, but that assumes his job stays in tact. I also know several people ready to start up new businesses, but the risk of losing health care keeps them in jobs where they are underemployed. That is not going to grow our country or economy. Best of luck to you in your recovery.
I miss you people… Hope to get south again soon