Why I Am Thankful for My Health Insurance

Like many others, I have been making plans for the Thanksgiving holiday including travel, family, menus, football, and other fun activities. It is the time of year when I think about all that I am thankful for. This year, I am especially thankful to have been present for the birth of my first grandchild, an experience I may not have ever had without health insurance.

You see, ten years ago, my health insurance covered the routine primary care, specialist office visits, and diagnostic tests that led to a rare, life-threatening diagnosis. When the prognosis came back, the doctors were not hopeful as 90% of patients died from the disease within two years.

The treatment phase spanned a seven-month period and included more than one hundred tests, procedures, referrals, and office visits. The recommended follow-up care lasted seven years, during which there were another sixty tests, procedures, and office visits. I don’t know the exact cost of my care during this time, but it was close to $1,000,000, including some particularly expensive medications. It wasn’t easy, but I was able to manage the deductibles, co-payments, and travel costs that were my responsibility and which seemed reasonable considering the amount that was being covered by my health plan.

Nine years and 51 weeks after being told I would likely die within two years, I was standing in a birthing room offering encouragement to my daughter and son-in-law as they brought a beautiful little girl into this world.

This season, I am thankful for the delivery of a healthy baby and for my health plan, which encouraged regular check-ups and the annual tests that led to an early diagnosis, an aggressive treatment plan, and the comprehensive post-treatment monitoring that saved my life.

About Florida Health Choices

Florida’s Health Insurance Marketplace and Florida Health Choices, Inc. were established by the State of Florida to provide improved access to affordable, quality health care for residents statewide. For more information, visit www.MyFloridaChoices.org or find us on Facebook.