ATONG'S STORY
“People are choosing to suffer silently instead of being burdened by medical debt. I think that Medicaid should be a safety net for people who are struggling.”
Atong, a social worker and an expectant mother here in South Dakota, knows the realities of living without adequate access to health coverage. She has first-hand experience with the impacts of being in the coverage gap when she lacked access to health care coverage during the pandemic. Having access to or lacking health coverage directly impacts someone’s quality of life.
“I felt young and invincible in my mid twenties,” Atong said. “But, after experiencing excruciating pain, I had to seek emergency medical attention.” She had applied for Medicaid during a brief period of unemployment and was denied. Atong applied for Medicaid coverage again, recently after getting pregnant, and was denied for a second time. Current eligibility guidelines in South Dakota limit Medicaid coverage to people who are very low income and meet one of the following criterias: pregnant or responsible for a child 18 years of age and younger or have a disability or a family member with disability.
An ER visit and follow-up care left Atong with a hefty medical bill. Without Medicaid and access to private insurance, Atong was faced with an impossible choice: continue to seek follow-up care that she needed, or silently suffer to prevent catastrophic medical debt.
“I had to work two full-time jobs to pay off medical bills,” Atong noted. Working two full-time jobs took a toll on her mental and physical health, but Atong was finally at peace with her debt paid off.
“Our policies need to shift to ensure social services are actually serving people,” Atong said. “No one should have to overwork themselves to the brink of exhaustion to access healthcare.”
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Atong, a social worker and an expectant mother here in South Dakota, knows the realities of living without adequate access to health coverage. She has first-hand experience with the impacts of being in the coverage gap when she lacked access to health care coverage during the pandemic. Having access to or lacking health coverage directly impacts someone’s quality of life.
“I felt young and invincible in my mid twenties,” Atong said. “But, after experiencing excruciating pain, I had to seek emergency medical attention.” She had applied for Medicaid during a brief period of unemployment and was denied. Atong applied for Medicaid coverage again, recently after getting pregnant, and was denied for a second time. Current eligibility guidelines in South Dakota limit Medicaid coverage to people who are very low income and meet one of the following criterias: pregnant or responsible for a child 18 years of age and younger or have a disability or a family member with disability.
An ER visit and follow-up care left Atong with a hefty medical bill. Without Medicaid and access to private insurance, Atong was faced with an impossible choice: continue to seek follow-up care that she needed, or silently suffer to prevent catastrophic medical debt.
“I had to work two full-time jobs to pay off medical bills,” Atong noted. Working two full-time jobs took a toll on her mental and physical health, but Atong was finally at peace with her debt paid off.
“Our policies need to shift to ensure social services are actually serving people,” Atong said. “No one should have to overwork themselves to the brink of exhaustion to access healthcare.”
More Stories
Education is a core component of our advocacy work. The difference between Medicaid and Medicaid Expansion can be a complicated topic to understand, but at its core, Medicaid is just affordable healthcare.
MEDICAID IS A FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAM THAT COVERS MEDICAL COSTS FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE WITH LIMITED INCOME AND RESOURCES. MEDICAID PROVIDES ACCESS TO HEALTH COVERAGE FOR THE NATION'S MOST ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED POPULATIONS, INCLUDING LOW-INCOME CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, LOW-INCOME SENIORS, AND LOW-INCOME PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
Did you know that lack of insurance affects us all? |
Many South Dakotans either make too little or too much to qualify for affordable health insurance. Current eligibility guidelines for Medicaid leave about 42,500 South Dakotans in the coverage gap.
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Most low-income South Dakotans fall into the coverage gap. Adults without children don't qualify for Medicaid at all, no matter how low their income is.
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Below, you can find a few things you should know about Medicaid and Medicaid Expansion.
Medicaid Expansion
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Here are a few more things you should know:
We want to hear from you!
How has lack of health insurance impacted you?
If you would like to tell your story, please send an email to Saliya@southdakotavoicesforpeace.org. We would love to feature your story to educate more people in our communities about the many South Dakotans caught in the coverage gap.
