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James Busby of St. Joseph
home, a decent car and although he didn’t have insurance through his job, he could afford $700 a month to keep hisAs a part-time physical therapist, and home care worker for his mom, James Busby was living the good life. He had a nice family insured.
But all that came to an abrupt end two years ago when an accident forced him to quit his therapy job and take care of his mother full time.
Now every day is a struggle for the 39-year-old father of two. His savings has dwindled as he struggles to take care of his mother - who is unable to walk due to severe arthritis- and support his young family.
Although he believes he’s doing what’s best, he’s forced to deal with the constant pressure of mounting medical debt and limited income.
In fact, at the end of this year, James Busby will have made less than $4500 providing continuous, around-the-clock care for his mother. He will owe more than half of that amount to the doctors who provide his care.
“There are so, so many unpaid hours, but the work has to be done,” he said sighing.
“I have had many families praise me over the years,” James said. “I just don’t believe we are compensated or rewarded enough.”
James says he doesn’t expect a six-figure salary with stock options; he just wants to be able to provide for his family and go to the doctor when he’s sick.
His children are covered under the state-funded MiChild program, but James dreams of the day when both he and his children can benefit from a plan he has worked hard for.
“Now that would make all my work worth it,” he said.
Cynthia Waldrop of Saginaw
Cynthia Waldrop has spent a lifetime caring for others but with her age increasing and her own health suffering, the 47-year-old Hemlock resident wonders, who will care for her?
Although she has been a home care worker for nearly 30 years, she can barely make ends meet and is uninsured. And while many people with her level of experience are thinking about retirement, Cynthia just laughs when she talks about it. For her, it’s just another one of life’s luxuries that is not in the forecast.
Cynthia, who is bipolar, requires a doctor visit every two months, as well as over $500 in medications monthly. Unable to afford the proper treatment, she fills only half or sometimes even a quarter of her prescriptions for the month. It’s been about 10 years since she had health insurance through her husband’s work. Now he has Medicare, but she and her two daughters are forced to pay out of pocket.
“It’s not an easy job to do in the first place, and then you have to worry about being without health insurance,” she said.
The family has also incurred $1800 in debt from going to the dentist and Cynthia’s eye health suffers because it’s too expensive to see an optometrist.
The lack of money forces Cynthia and her family to make some tough decisions on a daily basis.
“Do you fill up your tank or do you eat?”