blog #1

What health issues am I most concerned with and why?

I must respond with more than one issue. There are global problems that sicken me and give perspective on the relative smallness of some of the issues I face personally. However, due to the readings I came to realize more clearly that my issues are not mine alone.

I am concerned for the women of the world who are being raped and have no recourse to get help. Upon sharing some of the supplemental readings with my husband he told me of a situation in Iran involving a young girl who killed her attempted rapist. The attack occurred a year ago and in the summer she was sentenced to death. Just this last week sometime a court dropped the death sentence in light of the self defense. This was a great victory for the women of Iran.

My health related issues personally are as a result of being reasonably well acquainted with the DHHS and WIC programs. My husband and I are both students and work part time. We also have a strong conviction about keeping our children at home with us. This decision, as well as our status as students, limits our earning potential. Therefore, for the time being we qualify for such services as WIC (women, infants, children-provides some groceries as well as health check ups for the kids), Medicaid (provides medical insurance for the kids), and most recently, food stamps.

My primary feeling about these programs is great thankfulness. However, I have seen some problems that could potentially prevent some from getting services.
First, there is a great amount of paperwork involved in gaining and maintaining the benefits. Every three months or so I have to renew one or the other. Initially, the requirements are overwhelming. For someone with less education this could potentially deter them from even applying. This problem is compounded with the difficulty in contacting persons who could help. The office is frequently understaffed leaving many waiting for hours just to talk to someone. Unfortunately, things are currently set up requiring a wait just to turn in completed paperwork. The idea of a long wait in a crowded office with small children who aren't allowed to have snacks or drinks (no food or drink are allowed in the office) is daunting.

Recently I tried to call to get a question answered and after mindlessly allowing the phone to ring for 4 and a half minutes, someone answered. I discovered that I needed to pick up my food stamp card in the office instead of having it mailed. I was not informed of this requirement in any of the correspondence I received. This arrangement further taxes the office and delays the receipt of much needed funds I have waited for 6 weeks to get. Still, this was a short inconvenience compared with a friend of mine who waited on a dead silent hold for 2 hours just to change her address.

Secondly, I have been greatly disappointed with the doctors and clinics who provide services for medicaid patients. One was particularly bad. The office smelled of cigarettes, there was no soap in the bathroom, no toys for the kids, and the doctor completely disregarded my concerns about medicines prescribed and even our family medical history. I felt like a non-person. Problems I have experienced at other clinics include dirty floors and toys and disinterested staff. At a visit to an emergency room I was treated with outright disdain by a receptionist when she discovered my financial situation.
There are good doctors but they are rarely available to take new patients. Having been on medicaid for 4 years, I have only in the past 6 months found a great doctor who would take all three of my kids. I finally began to get regular checkups for the kids because of this doctor. Thankfully, I have extremely healthy children who have rarely needed medical care, but there are many whose children are not so healthy.

I can assume that there are other moms out there who avoid going to the doctor because of the environment they are confronted with at the open clinics. Potentially, this avoidance could leave their children open to escalating illnesses or the missing of significant problems. I don't find fault with the moms here, but with the glaring lack in the clinics and doctors.

A dear friend of mine had her third child while her husband was finishing school and they were on medicaid. This child turned out to be a special needs child. The battle she fought to get proper diagnosis and treatment for her child extended well past what it would have through conventional insurance. She and I had/have the benefit of knowing these circumstances are temporary. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be trapped into this kind of treatment long term.

Not only do recipients have to overcome the large quantities of repetitive paperwork and long lines to receive benefits, once they get them they face below-par medical services, and poor treatment by office staff. Then they are confronted with stores and other consumers. In my experience, there are some stores in which WIC customers are not seen in the best light.
My cousin worked for a chain that included in their training a commentary on these customers. They were told that WIC customers were low income idiots (not in so many words) just trying to get something free. Incidentally, she told me this after I recounted a humiliating experience in which I was treated poorly by a cashier at one of the stores in this chain.
In conversations with Walmart cashiers (I have always been treated with respect there) I have heard recounting of other consumers' audible comments towards young mothers utilizing WIC and food stamps.

The problem of perception is one that cannot be fixed with programs and benefits. There will always be those who have never needed help in this way. Some of those feel it is necessary to demean those who are in need. I am certain that they cannot know what it is like. For their sake, I hope they never need the help of these services...but they make difficult situations much more difficult for us who do require the help. I hope that what I have learned during this season of our lives will never leave me.

The problem of access could be addressed. A better organized office, more online resources, a specifically appointed translator and paperwork helper are all things that could be added to improve the current setup. Even a phone service that played music and reassurances that your phone call will be answered is an annoying bonus that I've realized actually means something. It means you are a person and they don't expect you to wait endlessly for what might be a waste of time because there is no one there. I honestly don't know how my friend waited for 2 hours without a sound. An automated system over the phone could answer questions and free up valuable staff time. There are many little things that could improve this system and recognize the individual value of those who are in need.

While my/our issues on the home front pale in comparison with what is going on globally, I have to admit to some shortsightedness in myself. What effects me directly is drastically easier to confront. The tragedy of violence towards women across the world is easy to ignore when I'm absorbed in jumping my own hurdles. I am ashamed to admit this on one level, and I am very open to being sensitized to the life threatening "issues" ("issues" does not do this horror justice) of my fellow women elsewhere in the world.