Holly Oyster
I have a daughter who is a type 1 diabetic, and epileptic. she is 14. We are small business owners, and in order to get health insurance for ourselves and our 1 employee who wants it, we have to have separate policies for myself and my husband. That allows us to have 3 members in our group, and makes it possible to have a small group. Due to that, we are currently paying $2,200/mo. in insurance premiums. for a family of 3. In addition, none of our prescription or doctor's copays count towards our $3,750 in deductible. Many meds are no longer covered, and I have to use GoodRx coupons to find them affordably. In short, my family spends between $40,000 and $60,000 PER YEAR in medical expenses.
Gerrymandering has so weakened the voices of the voters in Ohio, that, despite the majority of Ohioans supporting Medicaid for all, or other forms of universal healthcare, we cannot get it done. My representative does not listen to me. I get a form letter update from him. I have participated in multiple "town hall" phone calls, and have never had my question included. I never get responses to calls, emails.
He doesn't care what I want. He doesn't have to care what I want, because he doesn't have to worry about winning votes.
All that money I am wasting on mediocre healthcare is money I'm not spending on family vacations (haven't had one since 2014), updating my home (my kitchen was remodeled in 1965. My furnace was installed in 1984, and I need a new one. I have 4 in-window air conditioners because I can't afford to upgrade to central air), fixing my driveway, fixing the damage to my yards from years of heaving, paying to get the pool I had installed 6 YEARS ago (before my kid was diagnosed diabetic and epileptic) finished - it's still unfinished because our medical expenses just keep going up. But, on paper, I'm wealthy. I make more money that many of my friends.
But so much of my money gets flushed down the toilet that we call the American Healthcare System, that I can't afford any of the things people in my economic position are supposed to be able to do. That money that is going to premiums could be paying for higher wages for my employees. I was unable to pay them bonuses last year, because the money just wasn't there.
Holly Oyster