Uninsured in Texas, Then and Now

In previous posts, I shared stories of Americans who had been uninsured when I first met them a decade ago and who, in the wake of the ACA, now are insured. These stories were inspiring, encouraging and – in a few cases – disappointing in that health insurance alone cannot make up for a lifetime of sub-par living conditions, harmful working conditions, and the cumulative ill effects of inadequate health care.

As the president-elect and Republican congressional leaders are reiterating promises to repeal the Affordable Care Act, it’s crucial to remember what it’s like for Americans to try to scrape by without dependable access to health care. The experiences of people living in states that elected NOT to expand Medicaid eligibility under the ACA serve as a wake-up call for what things were like during the bad-old-days. In this article published in Health Affairs I share the story of Texas parents valiantly struggling to care for a child with disabilities, even while their own health deteriorates due to lack of medical attention.

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For the time being, at least, it seems unlikely that the Texas health care landscape will change. The barrage of anti-Obamacare radio, television, and billboard ads I heard and saw when I visited Texas during my research represent a well-financed campaign that, unfortunately, has convinced even those people who would benefit the most from the ACA.

Luis and Daniela’s situation probably won’t change much, either. Luis will get older, still working long shifts driving trucks and loading and unloading them. Daniela will age, too, still lifting Alexa. Alexa will never be able to care for herself. And her brother, now a teenager, will age out of CHIP and either become one of the lucky few in the Rio Grande Valley who finds a job that offers insurance or hope and pray that he remains healthy enough not to need much medical care. It’s likely that the next time I visit them, either Luis or Daniela, or possibly both of them, will have become too disabled to continue working and finally will have health care coverage through Disability—which will come at the price of a substantial drop in family income as well as a blow to their self-esteem as providers. It’s hardly an ideal solution for their family or for Americans overall.

Post-election, this prophecy actually feels overly optimistic. In light of Republican promises to privatize Medicare — as well as the president-elect’s mocking impromptu performance and history of unethical practices regarding people with disabilities — I fear that the family’s worry that Daniela will end up in a horrid, underfunded institutional will happen sooner rather than later.