Putting a face on the ACA

Real talk guys.

I've been up since 2:30 with terrible back pain. Pain relievers, stretching, a hot  shower, pacing none of it's helped. It's hard to take a deep breath, and I find myself constantly moving into weirder and weirder positions to find any sort of relief.

I'm sure it will eventually go away. (I fell asleep on my love seat earlier and think I just pulled some muscles.) But I'm also terrified it won't. Since I'm 26 I'm no longer eligible to be on my parents. Despite the fact that I'm full time, my job doesn't offer health insurance in my position. I'm not married, so I can't get it that way either.

If this happened in two months, I'd be ok. Through the subsidies with the ACA, and the more affordable plans, I could afford going to a doctor so that I could:  1. make sure this isn't something chronic or long term, and 2. figure out something to do to either get rid of the pain, or at least manage it.

I've been lucky health wise for most of my life. And I'm much better off than many I know. But the fact remains, at this moment I can't afford to go to a doctor.

People talk about the ACA like it only affects nameless, faceless people. They talk about the people it will benefit like they're some small, meaningless number.

But it's me guys. The ACA was designed for people like me. I'm typing this kneeling on a pillow because currently that's the only position that doesn't make me want to cry. I'm absolutely exhausted, but can't sleep, it feels like there's a steel bar around my torso squeezing way too hard.

I've looked into free clinics. The ones around me require a state id and proof of residence in martin county. I still have my Connecticut license. (Which I realize is my fault.) In addition 4-8 pay stubs, or a letter from your employer stating how much you make. Not things I have lying around. And although I do think regular doctors visits are good, without insurance it's not something I've been concerned about. I didn't look at these services until I needed them, and there are a lot of steps I need to take to get it. (If I even qualify, they don't specify what the income bracket is.)

I don't want to claim to be some poster child for the failure of the current health care system. I'm not. I'm just a woman thinking about how I'm supposed to be at work in 6 hours, whether or not I can stand.