When I was pregnant with my second child, Barrett, I began experiencing severe health problems.
When that happened, I had just started working full time in the kitchen of the hospital in my hometown of Douglas. I found it increasingly difficult to stand and move my body for extended periods of time.
My life took a dramatic turn when my OB/GYN told me that my baby’s health was in danger. I remember going to the doctor and being shocked to hear that I needed to be induced into an early labor to protect him.
After Barrett’s premature delivery, both of us required numerous tests, scans, and imaging. But I was new to my job so my health insurance coverage hadn’t taken effect yet.
I went back to work, but I struggled to meet the physical demands of the job. I worked with my employer, I tried reducing my hours. But eventually, my physical health deteriorated so much that I had to resign. Without a job, it was no longer possible to afford payments on the $17,000 of medical debt from my pregnancy and preterm delivery.
I made the difficult decision to declare medical bankruptcy.
Because I was a single mom of two minor children, I eventually qualified for Medicaid. It was my saving grace because it allowed me to get care and treatment for persistent health issues.
It wasn’t long after qualifying that I received diagnoses for rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren’s syndrome which meant I could finally seek proper treatment. If I’d had access to healthcare during my pregnancy, I might have been able to get a diagnosis sooner, carried my pregnancy to term, and keep my employment.
Cancer also runs in my family, and so I rely on my health benefits for regular preventative screenings. This increases the likelihood that if I ever was diagnosed with the disease, it would be caught earlier – which we know results in getting treatment sooner and better health outcomes, helping me avoid the situation I faced during and after my pregnancy.
Once I had access to healthcare, I was able to get my health issues under control and earn my Bachelor’s in Social Work from the University of Wyoming in May 2022. I now work two part-time jobs; unfortunately, neither of these provide health benefits – so Barrett and I stay healthy thanks to the care we rely on through Medicaid.
Without Medicaid, none of this would be possible.
I fear what will happen if I lose my insurance, which is a distinct possibility without Medicaid expansion. With changes to the size of my family now that my eldest son is over 18, I will work full time and still will likely earn too much from my jobs to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to qualify for subsidies on the marketplace.
If I lose access to Medicaid, I will have to make tough choices about prioritizing health and safety for myself and my family.
I say this all the time when I explain my situation to people: You try and do better. You work and try to save money and build a better life. You work the better job, but you’re still unable to receive the potentially lifesaving and life improving healthcare coverage that you need. I don’t want this to be anyone else’s story.
If my experience can help shed light on the importance of access to healthcare during and after pregnancy and make it possible for more people to stay healthy, then some of the hardship will have been worth it.
Hardworking Wyomingites like me deserve to have the tools to stay healthy and access lifesaving healthcare.
Tania Malone has a Bachelor’s of Social Work and is the President-Elect of The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Board of Directors Wyoming Chapter. She is an advocate for healthcare access in Wyoming.
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