I benefited from Medicaid expansion. When I was an undergrad student I was paying roughly $150/month for a student plan that didn’t cover much. I was also paying $150/month for my prescription medicine (about $200 during months when I could afford to refill my rescue inhaler) which I ended up taking sporadically (every other day, every three days, etc. until I eventually stopped taking it altogether) in order to save money. Furthermore, I was mostly going to the Urgent Care or ER, as opposed to a primary care provider (PCP), since I knew I’d qualify for financial assistance. I then ended up having surgery to remove my gallbladder which set me back quite a bit, although, luckily, I qualified for some financial assistance through the hospital.
Not long after that is when the expansion took effect and I was found eligible. I was then able to set up regular appointments with a PCP and start back on my prescriptions. It was also the first time in, I think, 3-4 years that I was able to afford to see dentist and get new prescription glasses. While I didn’t have to use it for anymore surgeries, it was just nice knowing that, if something like that were to happen again, I wouldn’t have to worry about it getting covered.
Then, early last year, I became employed through a Community Health Center and switched to my employer’s plan and now I assist people with Medicaid and Marketplace applications.
