Lost job, lost access to health care
A new study from Families USA shows that only one out of five low- and moderate-income workers who have lost their jobs has been able to maintain health coverage.
Most don’t have COBRA protections, so they can’t even choose to continue their coverage. Those who are eligible for COBRA — well, it eats up an average of about 84 percent of one’s unemployment benefits, and how many people can afford that?
So, when the numbers come out, I believe in May, imagine what the number of people without health coverage is going to be. Care to bet it’s above 50 million?
Imagine the number of people who will die because they can’t manage chronic illness or get screening or diagnostic tests. Unless something happens, the 30,000 Americans who die every year now will be joined by thousands more.
I went to a cancer conversation tonight, and one of the main things people think we need to reduce the toll of cancer is access. Access to screening tests, access to second opinions, access to the right chemotherapy (many don’t have access to chemotherapy at all) access to quality care, access to information on treatments or better yet, on prevention, access to compassion and to dignity.
The other values people think are missing from American cancer care are compassion and respect. People talked about being treated like cattle when they went to chemotherapy, lined up like milk cows for treatment.
But there were people there who had great things to say about Duke and I can always agree with that. They gave us two more years with Mike.
More about the cancer conversations later.
Tags: 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.
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