My Friends It Has Been A While ….Bur I Hope All Can Read This As FB Doesn’t Like Blogs So That’s Why I Am Not Writing As Much Here … But This Is Too Important Not To Write About …It’s The Reason I Became A Blogger …

Yes Good News For Over 4 Years I Have Been #Insured … But Still The Fight Goes on To #Expand Medicaid In #Florida and The 10 States That Still Did Not Expand It …. This Is A Must …. For 500,000 People Stuck Without Access to Quality Affordable #Healthcare ….in #Florida and 9 Other States

So We Begin With An Update….

From Facebook Post on #Impact Page

We Agree With Our Founder Fred Christian ….. On Medicaid Expansion #MedicaidExpansion Must Happen …
In The 10 States Still Refusing To Do So ….
Including Our Home State Florida Where Recently Fl State Senate Majority Leader Kathleen Passidomo @kathleen4SWFl …. Said It’s A Not Happening ….
We Strongly Disagree With This Decision and Hope Medicaid Expansion Happens in Florida … It’s! Must As 500,000 #Florida Residents Are Currently #Uninsured and Have Been Due to This Issue Not Moving Forward … It’s A Must For Them To Resolve It … All People Deserve Affordable Quality Healthcare and Medicine Period !!
We Ask All 10 States to Please Reconsider In
Florida Georgia Alabama Mississippi Texas Tennesee South Carolina Wisconsin Wyoming and Kansas….

Now We Share The Story With An Update Of Our Founder Fred Christian
My Healthcare Journey 2024 Medicaid Expansion Saves Lives

My Friends I Have Wriiten This As A Facebook Post in 2014 … Then Was Encouraged to Make It A Blog …It and Updated Verson Available on WordPress … Can Not Share on Facebook
But Will Update It Here

I Am Very Blessed and Fortunate…I Am Alive … Had I Not Gotten My SSI In 2020 During A Horrific Pandemic I May Not Be Here Today .. As I Got My Medicaid in October 2020 and Was Elated ….. But Sad …Sad For Those Like I Was Struggling With Healthcare and Health Issues While Being Uninsured …. It’s No Picnic and I Am Very Blessed and Fortunate To Be Here …. As When I went to My Primary Who Treated Me For 5 Years While Uninsured …. I Finally Got To Use My Insurance … I Hope All Do One Day Soon …. They Need To Because My Blood Work Showed I Was Now Type 2 Diabetic …. Fortunately I Have Medicine and A Great Doctor …. Yes Some of It Was Poor Food Choices and I Take Responsibility For That …. But If I Didn’t Have Insurance I Would Be Very Sick or Dead From This … As Many Can’t Afford Dr Visits Hospital Care or Medicine …. Having Healthcare Saved My Life and It Will For All Uninsured …..

I Encourage All To Read The Next Part

My Healthcare Journey
My Health care JOURNEY PRE AND POST PETITION :

Written in 2014 As A Facebook Post

I know that many of you have allready read my old post about my health insurance and battle to expand Medicaid . But I want to today simply tell the tale of being uninsured still. There are details I did not add plus an update.
The Journey actually began in 1977 as a First grade student. I had motor coordination and learning disabilaties. Fortunately through good and supportive parents and teachers I wss able to over come alot of problems I had like dyslexia which until last yr I denied to myself I had. I never could react if a ball was thrown. I could not ride a bike or later drive a car.There was something wrong I just did not know why.
I outgrew some of my problems but a really scairy one happened in 1986 I had my first asthma attack I had 2 in a year. Went to the ER twice ! My dad heroically drove me. He had to beg the hospital to treat me the second time. The reason was the insurance plan for me denied coverage. I would have to see an asthma specialist have immunothrapy (ALLERGY SHOTS) for 7 yrs .So I would continue uninsured as an adult. My family and friends pay my dr bills and Medicine to this day.
I would go on to graduate college with a 4 yr degree in Communications Liberal Arts. But I could not drive a car public transportation was not always avalable.
I would go on to care for my disabled father off and on from 1999 to 2014 in between working a brief stint as a bagger for Publix in Ocals Fl in 2006.Getting and keeping a job was tough because I could not drive and I had to quit to take care of my dad who tore his achilllies tendon.
My health was good until 2001 I did not have any problems with my asthma until one day I had to switch medicines and twice had reactions once I almost died from a heart ailment reaction to medicine. I went to Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala Fl the same Hospital that treated me for my asthma attack in 1986. Only now thanks to Hospital Charity the bill was written off This happened 5 more times in 11 years. Plus the Ambulance bill was written off too.
My family relocated back to S.Fl in 2012. Before I left I was having trouble with my eyes I coulf not find objects when my dad pointed at them on a shelf. Blind services sent me to an eye dr. The technician noticed something but the doctor said nothing was wrong. I knew that something was wrong.
When we moved to S.Fl I enrolled in Vocational Rehabilitation at the recommendation of President Obama who I wrote to asking to start a program for caregivers. It was great advice. The psychological exam confirmed dyslexia the psychologist recommened SSI FOR ME. Plus he recommened STS special transportation for me w bus pass since I could not drive. The STS administration agreed I should not drive . WE still did not know what the eye problem was. I went to an eye dr she said my eyes did not move at all. She said see a specialist I wanted to but uninsured could not. I was able to seek help at Nova Southeastern University center for psychological studies for my learning disabilities. I was diagnosed with a NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED COGNITIVE DISORDER. They also made a recommendation for SSI . Plus to see an eye specialist .
I knew I needed an answer I feared blindness. But being uninsured could not do this. I could not work and needed help.
But that summer I had a respiratory tract problem went to the ER in Hollywood Fl @ HOLLYWOOD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. I was told I could only get charity 1 time because I was a resident of Miami Dade County I live 1/6 of a mile on the DADE / BROWARD BORDER. I got charity after 6 months, and was stuck with a $ 400.00 Ambulance Bill.
I was elated when President Obama signed the ACA into Law. I would finally get insurance through Medicaid Expansion ! But No our Governor Rick Scott refused to help 1 million of us have insurance .
I had hoped that no one would have to go through what I went through having to fight geographic discrimination by the Hospital. So I knew I needed to help I was challenged to be a voice for the voiceless after watching the 50 th Anniversary of the MLK “I have a Dream” march on Washington speech. Plus my former pastor challenged us to get involved in Government so as you know I started my petition to Expand Medicaid in Fl. Soon I met alot of great activists. I became one started or partnered on Four Facebook pages people suffering due to Republicans Refusal to Expand Medicaid. Expand Medicaid Now “iSSUES WE FACE” and please sign my petition to help Expand Medicaid in Fl. Plus two groups Expand Medicaid Now and Issues We Face.
Finally through a county Health program Jackson Health Systems runs I was able to go to the eye Specialist at Bascom-Palmer Eye Institute in Miami I would have a co pay of $40.00 which we found the money to do. The diagnosis so far is a tracking disorder. I cannot go blind from.it ! I also did some reasearch and think my condition is called DYSPRAXIA .I am in a Film on Medicaid Expansion callled Entitled to Life ! It is in Development currently. You will see my eyes and hear me talk about why we need Medicaid Expansion.
You see I am still uninsured the program may run out of money. Plus if I get sick anyplace else it will not be good ! Denying people access to Doctors so they can get answers is creul and inhumane ! That my friends is why We need to #ExpandMedicaidNow !! – We must do this so All Have Dignity Thank You All God Bless

*** All Art By Fred Christian Except Where Noted on Photos or Memes

** Art Paintings On Meme By Threasa Brown Gold

*** Photo of Fred Christian By Susan Bullets Kennedy Nanton of Bullets4Life

*** Grapic of 10 States Courtesy Kaiser Family Foundation