Day two at HealthFriends began as any summer morning might; warm sunshine, a little haze in the air; the scent of blooming flowers and the appearance of a young, single dad, a refugee from Laos, caring for three children, his sister by his side acting as interpreter. He’d just discovered that the “information about health insurance options” in his pay envelope from several weeks prior, was notice that his employer, whose small workforce fell outside the mandate to provide health coverage, had decided to stop offering it.
Now, nearly three weeks after coverage had ceased, he was faced with having to purchase his medicine, for a very debilitating and potentially life threatening but very treatable disease, at a retail price that was just $57 less than his monthly pay. He was anxious and afraid; worried more about his children then about his own very critical need. I couldn’t help but think: what would I do? Fifty seven dollars to clothe the children; pay the rent and utilities; put gas in the car; put food on the table.
What could we do for someone in this situation? Turns out; quite a lot. Beginning with an emergency supply of medicine; assistance with the Patient Assistance Program paperwork so that he may obtain a monthly supply of the medicine for up to a year at no cost and making a call to a Health Navigator on his behalf so that he could apply for coverage for his children and receive Medicaid benefits on an expedited schedule.
It cost us a bit over two and one half hours of time and $384 for the emergency supply of medication. The value of the assistance and intervention exceeded $19,968 for the medicine alone. The value to his family was priceless.
As he walked out into the warm afternoon sunshine Mary turned to me and asked me how many times I’d gone to work and been able to make life better for an entire family in one afternoon. How many times indeed.