Guaranteed Healthcare

Shortly after graduating college, I found myself in a debt-collection agency. I worked for 25 hours / week to make less than double minimum wage, which insurance premiums were taken out of. While I made barely enough to pay rent and my student loans, it was all I needed, really. I spent my days calling people that were in credit card debt, often due to high medical bills or student loans...

During my 3 month "trial period" at this job, my student insurance expired, and I didn't yet qualify for the company insurance. I went to the ER twice in this period of time. When, two years later I quit this job due to stress and better opportunities, I found myself in the ER again. Three unpaid ER trips with no health insurance... I was told to pay these out of my pockets - even though my parents and I had been paying insurance premium for nearly a quarter of a century.

Being in the debt collection field, I know how to avoid the calls. I still do, to this day. Perhaps I will pay them off someday soon. But I feel like I've already paid these bills, a little every day. I am now a self employed artist, musician, and consultant. I need to see a doctor, but I can't afford it. Preventative medicine is therefore out, so the hospital bills will ultimately continue piling up.

What can you do, though? Perhaps watching this movie (SiCKO) is a good start. In the meantime, I'll keep avoiding the calls, and suffer the wrath of the big bad creditors... If Mr. Moore would like to do a movie on the credit industry, I'd be happy to talk with him ;0) I'm one of the lucky ones, though. Other than illnesses I don't know I have yet, and the problems the medical field can't help me prevent, my main problem is money. Not, yet, my life, or the life of my family (which, I suppose, I should raise in France).

Thank you Michael, and all of the people who have supported and helped what you do. You are an angel. Much love, Erika