AUSTIN, Texas — Health insurance has been a constant obstacle for millions of Americans across the country, amid the coronavirus.
According to the Census Bureau, Texas is one of the seven states with an uninsured rate of 12 percent or more of its population.
But, whether you have health insurance or not, additional medical expenses are leaving some residents in the Lone Star State with a costly balance due.
Jessica Green’s teenage daughter, Tiana Green, is in need of open heart surgery. While her insurance does cover the cost of the procedure itself, Green says she is trying to understand additional expenses such as co-pays, deductibles, and hospital fees.
“I feel like they need to find a better way. We are paying all of this money out of our checks every two weeks for us just to have to pay more money on top of that. They have to come up with a better system.”, said Jessica Green.
15-year-old Tiana Green attends Akins High School, where she plays the flute in the Eagles Marching Band. During a routine physical, Tiana was diagnosed with a heart murmur.
Jessica Green recently learned her daughter’s heart wasn’t getting enough blood oxygen and heart surgery was needed to repair it.
“With my insurance there is no pediatric hospital in Austin, so we would have to travel to San Antonio for her to have the procedure done in network with my insurance. We have to go out of town paying for travel expenses, hotels, on top of doctor fees, copays, deductibles. It’s going to come out to thousands of dollars that we don’t have”, said Jessica Green, Mother.
While Tiana Green’s surgery isn’t considered an emergency procedure, waiting isn’t recommended according to Jessica Green.
Being a high school sophomore, Tiana Green, says her condition can sometimes limit her physical activities. She wears a Fitbit on her wrist to monitor her heart rate to make sure it stays under control.
Green’s family and friends set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of Tiana Green’s medical expenses so that she can focus on her daughter’s recovery instead of the cost.