Mike in Harrisonville, Pennsylvania

Mike in Harrisonville, Pennsylvania
Originally uploaded by walk4healthcare

Mike, a customer at Hollinshead’s Grocery, lost his job at Caterpillar in February and now is without insurance. “COBRA was much too expensive,” he said. His unemployment check was $325 a week and health coverage cost over $400 a month. His children, “fortunately,” he told me, are covered through the state (ACCESS program). He seemed calm as he explained this predicament.

“My wife just got diagnosed with Lyme disease, though—a tick-bite right here in our back yard.” Eyes perked up among the others sitting about the grocery. He told me, “We’re paying cash for the lab bill.” It had originally been $307 but they were able to get it discounted to $187. “The doctor's bill was $80—and that's just for the diagnosis,” he added. “For the actual treatment, we’re dependin’ on free samples.”