I am a 35-year-old female who receives Medicaid and Medicare as a result of a  congenital heart defect. Health insurance is necessary, like food, clean water, shelter, and clothing. Because I fall under the Federal Poverty Level, I can access low-cost or free resources such as health care, education, and transportation. But if I started working, everything would change, which bothered me.

For many years, I pondered why I couldn’t move into a house with stairs or have my own bedroom, why most of the people I knew didn’t work yet always had food in their fridge, dressed nicely, and never complained about being abused by the system. I had no idea what that meant until I realized I couldn’t make more than $1,677 per month to qualify for Medicaid. I’ve been taking heart medicine since I was 11 years old, and there was a point when my insurance didn’t cover it. I recall not taking my medication for a full year when I was 19 because I didn’t have insurance.

I had hospital debt, and bill collectors would contact my house every day, threatening my mother with arrest and garnishment of her wages. Our lives were in danger because a routine ER visit evolved into an emergency procedure that required prior authorization. Silly me thought, “I don’t notice any difference not taking my medication, and my debt won’t increase,” until my heart gave out on me one day. I recall going to GNC and asking the cashier for some vitamins and seeing how costly they were. “In 5 to 10 years for now, this vitamin will help you; you will not see the difference in your body now, but you will ten years from now; it’s just like investing,” she replied. Recalling my experience as a 35-year-old advocate, I want to live a long life. I didn’t realize the real problem with health insurance until the Social Security Administration (SSA) told me that if I wanted to work and earn more than this amount, my insurance would be terminated.

I believe health care should be free and not have an income-based level to evaluate whether or not a person should have free insurance. If more individuals are eligible for free insurance, there will be less homelessness, because the cost of living is expensive, and there will be fewer deaths. In my scenario, if I choose to work, my health insurance coverage will end.

If I have employer-provided insurance, I would need to pay a co-payment, premium, or deductible. HRA will then cancel my food stamps, my rent will rise, and I will have less than $400 left in the bank after expenses. It’s not worth the risk. Health insurance and not working beyond the minimum wage have been acceptable in my household because everyone is technically comfortable. We make more money when we stay at home.

According to the SSA site, the number of recipients in December 2020 was around 8.0 million. 4.6 million were between 18 and 64, 2.3 million were 65 and older, and 1.1 million were under 18. Employer taxes account for 89.6% of total revenue, while benefit claimants account for 98.0%. Fifty-seven percent of SSI recipients have no income other than their SSI payment. 1.3 percent were active in a Title XIX facility where Medicaid covered more than half the cost. As a student who wants to succeed, I believe that people should take this information, and legislators should create a bill requiring free health insurance for all, regardless of income #InsuranceFree.