Why improving access to affordable health insurance is key to increasing access to quality health care - a personal story

The first step in increasing access to quality health care is making sure that people have access to the system that provides that care. In the U.S., that means having affordable health insurance - something you can pay into and is there when you need it to cover large medical expenses. Now of course, anyone can access health care without health insurance, but no matter where you seek care - a providers office, "safety net" clinics that offer services on a "sliding fee scale" (based on your income), or through the emergency room - the result is usually same, you end up footing the bill.  I don't know about you, but I don't consider that quality care, especially since health care costs so much in this country. Further, I don't think most Americans have hundreds or thousands of dollars that they can suddenly part with. I think the most expensive place to seek care by far is the emergency room.

A personal story

I have a relative who was uninsured and experiencing one of those conditions that I like to call "50/50 symptoms/conditions"- one of those symptoms/conditions that you could be experiencing randomly or because you have an underlying life-threatening condition that needs to be checked out. After debating and being in pain for hours, the decision was made to go to the emergency room to get an expert opinion. In the end, all they got was a bill for close to $1,000, a few ibuprofen, and was sent on their way without even a diagnosis - except for the indication that it was not life-threatening. An urgent care would have probably been a cheaper alternative but there was no way of knowing that that would have been the better place to go upfront. I'm sure my relative is not alone and there are echos of this story across the U.S.

To be positive, there are hundreds and maybe even thousands of organizations across the country working right now to address this issue and prevent this from happening to others. So what is actually being done to help improve access to quality care by increasing access to health insurance? Check back often as I'll be highlighting some of these organizations and the great work they are doing.