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Question Case Scenario 1:  In 2012, Dan was a 52-year-old handyman who worked odd jobs and did not carry insurance

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Case Scenario 1: 

In 2012, Dan was a 52-year-old handyman who worked odd jobs and did not carry insurance. He earned more than 150% of the poverty level so didn’t qualify for public health coverage, yet he could not afford to pay the high medical premiums insurance companies charged people with pre-existing conditions. One day, Dan fell from a ladder while working on a project. He did not seek medical attention despite severe back pain because he could not afford to pay medical bills. After that accident, he experienced chronic shooting pain down his leg. He did not take medication for the pain because he could not afford the doctor’s visit or the cost of the prescription. Because of the pain, Dan was frequently unable to work and struggled to pay his rent and buy food.

Question 1: How does Scenario 1 exemplify the health impact of health-care inequality faced by the poor and uninsured, as described in the assigned reading?

Case Scenario 2:

In 2013, Maria was a 46-year-old Latina who worked three part-time jobs to make ends meet. Because she worked part-time, Maria did not receive insurance coverage through her employer. Because she earned over 150% of the poverty level, she did not receive public health coverage. That year, she developed a sore on her finger that began oozing pus. She tried soaking it at home, but it did not improve. Maria continued to work all of her jobs until one day coworkers noticed her to be pale, confused, and short of breath. They called 9-1-1, and Maria was taken by ambulance to the local emergency room. She was diagnosed with septic shock caused by gangrene resulting from previously undiagnosed diabetes. She required amputation of her finger and a lengthy stay in the intensive care unit. 

Question 2: Analyze the direct costs of the uninsured to the health-care system and government likely to arise in Scenario 2.