What Health Reform Means for the Uninsured

ProPublica: The Story Of 41-Year Old Anne Johnson, Who is Uninsured and needs and Needs an Aortic Valve Replaced

(ProPublica)  This story originally appeared at ProPublica.org. It was written by Olga Pierce.

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Using results from a questionnaire we did with American Public Media's Public Insight Network, we're looking at how the proposed health care reforms will actually affect people facing common health care coverage situations. This is the first in a series.

Anne Johnson, 41

Location: Corona, Calif. Work Status: Unemployed Income: $0

Her story:

Anne Johnson lost coverage for herself and her 18-year-old son in February when she lost her job as a secretary at a solar energy company, where she was earning about $25,000 per year.

Shortly before she was laid off, a cardiologist told her she needs her aortic valve replaced, but without insurance she can’t afford the surgery. She is supposed to get checkups every six months, but that is also too expensive - so she has put them off. Her last visit to the cardiologist was in January, so she is already three months overdue.

“Right now I have no idea what type of condition I’m in,” Johnson said.

What health care reform would mean for her:

Johnson’s son may already qualify for Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, which covers low-income children if they do not have private insurance, because her son is under age 21. (We let Johnson know that her son may be eligible.)

But if she gets a job that pays roughly the same as she earned before but does not provide health insurance, he would most likely lose his Medi-Cal coverage. The House reform plan, and the Senate Finance Committee plan would standardize Medicaid eligibility across states to 133 percent of the federal poverty line, which amounts to $19,378 for a family of two. The plan from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (known as the HELP committee) would expand it to 150 percent of the poverty line, still only $21,855.

Johnson would be able to purchase private health insurance from a gateway or exchange, a state-based pool offering a menu of private insurance plans. The House and the Senate HELP bills would also offer her a public plan.

Her low income would qualify her for a subsidy to help buy insurance through the exchange, according to all three reform proposals.

The House plan and the Senate Finance Committee plan would allow Johnson to choose from four levels of coverage ranging from basic to premium, while the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee does not specify levels of coverage.

But if Johnson remains uninsured, she will have to pay a hefty tax penalty: All three plans impose a highly controversial tax penalty on uninsured individuals. The HELP bill would impose a penalty of $750 per year per person, so Johnson would have to pay $1,500. The Senate Finance plan phases in a penalty of $750 per year per uninsured adult, so Johnson would pay the same amount since her son is 18. The House bill would fine families the cost of a basic health insurance plan from the health exchange, up to 2.5 percent of their taxable income.

Critics of the requirement that all individuals have health insurance say it would in effect increase taxes for poor and middle-class people for not being able to afford health insurance.

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[dr_ksd]

I'm glad to see I live in such a supportive, compassionate country with privelaged people who want to watch others die so that their taxes aren't increased a couple of percent. (I hope you sense the sarcasm in this post).

I am a physician, I am one of the few whose taxes will be increased by this plan, and I couldn't be happier about it (no sarcasm here). I am one of the "haves", and I have no problem giving part of my income for the "have-nots". I have the right to say this because I went to school for 12 years and now work 80 hours a week, and I STILL don't mind the increase in taxes for the less fortunate.

But if you feel good about watching others suffer so you can have a nicer car, good luck with that.

[Colony14Author]

Age 41 with an 18 year old son. She lost her job. What about her son? Is he working? He could get a job. What about his father? Where is he? Has the father not got some responsibility? Is she divorced? What support was required by the divorce decree? Why did she lose her job? Was she a lousy employee? Is she morbidly obese? Is that having an impact on her health and her heart? Does she have property she can sell to raise cash for an operation? Has she applied for assistance from charitable organizations?

The story leaves out important facts that would help to better describe the situation. Instead, it is written primarily to evoke sympathy, and to get people to support "ObamaCare." She may simply be someone who is down on her luck, in which case she deserves sympathy and private charity. But she may also have spent decades making poor life decisions - in which case she needs assistance AND sound advice.

The story was clearly written with the "There but for the grace of God go I" perspective in mind. How about the facts, CBS? Or do the facts get in the way with your big-government agenda? Perhaps this woman should be held responsible for her own foolish actions? Or does CBS simply believe that the producers should keep supporting the parasites?

If ObamaCare passes, what will motivate this woman to get a job? She can collect welfare, food stamps, subsidized rent, Medicaid, etc. How many millions of Americans will simply say, "To hell with going to work... I'll live off the system just like the CBS sob stories."

Read The Obama Timeline and see why we are in this mess...

[Void_Master]

From the story: "But if Johnson remains uninsured, she will have to pay a hefty tax penalty: All three plans impose a highly controversial tax penalty on uninsured individuals."

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Right. Just try to collect that tax from me. *This* is what the Second Amendment was made for.

[Ms_enza]

She's PERFECT for the Republican Healthcare Plan... die fast.

[cabaldimon]

Actually what she'll get is a nice word from the man in the White House about her wonderful spirit, but that she just needs to take the chill pill until she dies. It's too bad if you have to live that ways for several years, but you are worthless to this country's slave labor for my regime, just lay back in your depends, take the chill pill, and we've got some wonderful advice from Dr. Kevorkian when you get tired of living that way.