“I’m uninsured. I broke my arm two years ago and needed surgery. Even though my doctors wrote a letter saying that I’m totally fine now, the insurance company won’t let me buy a plan.”
The year was 2006. My patient was a healthy, active 22-year-old man who somehow developed a bad enough case of pneumonia that he landed in the hospital. For days. I roughly calculated his hospital bill in my head. My heart sank at the impact I knew this medical debt would have on his budding career and startup business.
His was one of many stories that showed me, in spite of my medical degree, there were barriers to healthcare access beyond my control. But as I came to realize, these things were beyond my control as a doctor - but not as a citizen.
Together with thousands of other doctors, nurses, and citizens, I shared my patients’ stories with members of Congress and the public. After much work, our efforts helped pass the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Among its many provisions, insurance companies could no longer deny coverage to someone with a pre-existing medical condition. Stories like my patient’s were history.
It remains one of the accomplishments I’m most proud of.
Election Day in the U.S. is nearly here. Early voting has begun in several states. A friend recently asked me, “Does my vote matter? Does it make any difference in my life who we elect?”
Many families who come to Roon have significant health concerns that can be all-consuming. Voting can feel like yet another task on top of shuttling to medical appointments, plus navigating the daily physical, mental, and financial challenges. But it’s important to note that voting impacts these everyday challenges too. The people we elect make major decisions that can change the day-to-day of navigating a health condition.
Elected officials make decisions about everything from research funding for glioblastoma or dementia, to accessing fertility treatments like IVF, and benefits available for patients and families with ALS. People elected to Congress created the Family Medical Leave Act that lets you take up to 12 weeks off from your job to care for a sick family member. If you do take leave to care for a spouse, elected leaders in your state decide whether you can get paid by Medicaid.
In 2022, the American Medical Association recognized voting as a social determinant of health. Not only is voting the way you choose who leads your city council, city, state, and country – it's also your way of exercising your power in our democracy and pushing your elected leaders to pay attention to your needs.
How do you fit in voting when you’re already overwhelmed? It can be very helpful to make a plan.
To get details for your state and to make a plan for yourself, you can go to https://iwillvote.com.
Here are some options:
- Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, and every registered voter can vote in person. Some states have curbside voting for people with disabilities, and some have laws requiring your workplace to give you paid time off to vote. If you’re worried about long lines, bad weather, or not feeling well that day, read on for more voting options.
- Early In-Person Voting. Every state except Mississippi, Alabama, and New Hampshire has early voting, so you can pick a day that works best for your family.
- Mail-In and Absentee Voting. Every state has options for mail-in voting. Every registered voter automatically gets a mail-in ballot in California, Colorado, DC, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington). In other states, you have to request a ballot. In some, you have to have a reason like illness, travel, or serving in the military. You can visit https://iwillvote.com to learn how you can request a mail-in ballot.
