Texas: Rough Times for ITP Patient With No Medicaid
October 21, 2014; Posted by: WeBleed staff
Texas denial of Medicaid expansion felt by woman with ITP.
In an interesting article posted by Al Jazeera America, 20 year old Anissa Rangel’s struggles come to light. She has idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in which she bruises easy, gets tired easy and is prone to bleeding. Her treatments can cost her a lot of money personally without insurance.
For those who are unaware, Anissa Rangel is just one of 2 million Texans without health insurance. Governor Rick Perry rejected federal Medicaid expansion funds under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Anissa falls into the coverage gap where she is ineligible for the state’s existing Medicaid plan but too poor to receive a subsidy for a private health plan.
The Rangels have been going to see Dr. Jaime Estrada at a nearby clinic in Laredo. Anissa’s blood work recently showed low levels on her platelets and white/red blood cells. Dr. Estrada recommended that she get a bone marrow aspiration – a costly procedure for anyone without insurance.
“I told her to go to the emergency room in San Antonio,” Dr. Estrada said, knowing it couldn’t turn her away. “That was the only option.”
Anissa is just one of many with a chronic illness. However with little opportunity to get covered, she is risking her health every day by not seeing a provider. WeBleed will post updates as they become available.
Photo Credit – Al Jazeera America
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