I work for Passavant Retirement Assisted Living Facility and get health insurance through my employer. Even though I have health insurance, it doesn’t cover my medical needs.
My doctor would like me to have blood work done because of the medications I take. I refuse to this because my insurance doesn’t cover those tests and my out of pocket expenses would be too high. I make $15 dollars an hour, and pay $50 dollars a week for my health insurance. In the past, when I have gotten tests done, I have had to pay a lot out of my own pocket. It cost me $125 dollars, and if I did that every 3 months, it would be costing me $500 dollars a year. It took me 3 months to pay off that $125, and by the time I paid it off, it was time for another test that I could not afford.
We need more direct care workers that are willing to speak out about their issues with health insurance so that our legislators and the media are more aware of these problems.
Pat Downing
Direct Care Worker
Prospect, PA
