I grew up in blue-collar Bedford, Pa., where the family that adopted me didn’t earn a lot of money, and I was insured through the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program. I saw first-hand how the exorbitant cost of healthcare could take a terrible toll, but also in recent years how a little-known part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that took effect in 2015 could serve as an indispensable lifeline.
My Aunt Gwen worked at a Denny’s off the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and like many Americans, her hourly wage wasn’t enough to afford the out-of-pocket costs she incurred through a high-deductible health plan. She fell into the asset-limited-income-constrained-yet-employed demographic and, therefore, avoided going to the doctor – and in the process – neglected her health for years, including preventive care. Aunt Gwen eventually collapsed at work and was later diagnosed with stage-four cervical cancer.
