Tag Page HealthcareSystem

I Wasn’t Committing Fraud, But the System Treated Me Like I Was

Last November, I worked overnight stocking shelves at a chain grocery store, making $17 an hour with no insurance. After a back injury, I applied for Medicaid and got approved. For the first time, it felt like the system worked. Three months later, holiday staffing shortages meant extra shifts. The overtime pushed my monthly income just a few hundred dollars over the limit. There was no warning, no grace period. My coverage was cut automatically. I found out at the clinic front desk. The nurse refreshed the system three times and said, “You’re self-pay now.” I saw the doctor but stopped physical therapy afterward. When the bills arrived, I realized paying them meant missing rent. People online say, “Rules are rules.” But the rules never explain how you’re supposed to survive the drop. #Medicaid #HealthcareSystem #WorkingPoor #PolicyReality