Dr. Jackson is a family physician in rural Oklahoma. She is nervous about her patients losing their employer-sponsored health insurance and being unable to manage their chronic conditions, which would result in a less healthy community.
Dr. Jackson has always wanted to be a small-town doctor in her home state of Oklahoma. After completing her residency, she started her practice in Hobart, Oklahoma. As a family physician, she sees her patients for preventive care at every stage of life.
Several years ago, one of the town’s largest employers, a local factory, closed causing many residents to lose their jobs as well as their health insurance. About 10-15% of Dr. Jackson’s patients are uninsured, which means they no longer come in for preventive care. “For patients without insurance, preventive care is off the table. Colonoscopies, routine labs are out of reach. And patients without preventive care frequently have a missed diagnosis and the complications can be dire.”
Dr. Jackson and her staff do what they can for their uninsured patients, but they can’t provide all the treatment and services the patients need. Access to health care could mean that patients could get screenings, preventative care and access to early diagnosis and maintenance – saving future health care dollars and potentially their lives.