Adrienne is the mother of three children and works full-time as the lead teacher at a small faith-based childcare center, which does not offer health insurance. Her husband Tyshawne works as a security guard and as a veteran of the Navy has health insurance through the VA and her children have health insurance through Medicaid. Adrienne doesn’t qualify for her husband’s VA benefits, makes too much to qualify for Medicaid (in North Carolina, a family’s monthly income must be less than $824 for a parent to qualify for Medicaid in a family of five), and can’t afford private health insurance.
This means that Adrienne is left in the coverage gap without access to care. Adrienne knows how scary it is to be left without health insurance. Her sister, who owned a hair salon, was also unable to access health coverage. Several years ago, she passed away from colon cancer. “I believe that if my sister had insurance that she would still be alive today,” Adrienne said.
With a family history of cancer, and with her own abnormal pap smears in the past, Adrienne is afraid of what might happen if she is diagnosed with something. “If I’m not there to take care of my children, who’s going to do it?”
Adrienne wants the opportunity to access health care so she can take control of her health - get the screenings she needs, keep her diabetes under control, and have the peace of mind that comes with health insurance. “Nobody’s asking for a handout but I am asking you to make it fair so I can reach the same level that everybody else is able to reach. That’s all I’m asking for.”
Want to see more of Adrienne’s story? Watch Left Behind: Health and Hope in North Carolina, a short film featuring community members and health professionals from across North Carolina sharing their challenges and triumphs as they strive to take care of themselves, their families, and their communities.