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Give Health A Chance Comments Vincent J Cataldi - Milwaukee Indigent Health Case Study Since June, when it
became clear that something was seriously wrong with me, I have tried
everything to find a way to pay for the medical attention I need. I tried to buy insurance for ten years, while I was still
healthy, but could not afford it. Once I had a problem it was not
available at any price. I tried to get GAMP (General Assistance Medical
Program) support, but was denied because in 2001 my income averaged $200
a month in excess of the poverty limit.
I am self-employed so I was forced to become more broke, and wait
until the end of the year when I could file my tax return and prove I
was broke. I now qualify as indigent, and I suspect I am eligible for
GAMP, though it will still be weeks before I am reviewed. Even so, my options are limited and treatment is slow in
coming. How can this happen
in the richest, most powerful country in the world? |