YM works in a hospital gift shop for a company that does not provide health insurance and was introduced to an ACA Navigator through the hospital. She now finds herself facing two devastating cancer diagnosis.
Her navigator not only helped her to find coverage through the marketplace before her diagnosis but has also helped her to find additional resources by introducing her to nurse Navigators. These nurse Navigators helped identify resources to help pay her rent, utilities and provided gift cards to purchase gasoline, food, etc.
YM said that in the beginning she was so scared, she cried and worried, not only about her health battle, but how was she going to work and pay her bills. Her faith gave her strength. She’s peppered most of the mirror in her bedroom with sticky notes with words of encouragement, like “you brought me to it now get me through it” and “you have cancer, but it doesn’t have you.”
She recently had her last chemo treatment, is now cancer free, but is still facing a radical mastectomy. YM stated, “A navigator steps in and opens so many doors that they take away your worries and calm your fears.”
The ACA and its navigators across the state of Florida are assisting individuals like YM to find affordable coverage, enabling them to receive the care and medications they need to lead healthier lives. In Orlando and the surrounding areas, get free help from a Covering Central Florida Navigator at www.coveringcfl.net. Are you somewhere else in Florida? Find a qualified local Covering Florida Navigator at www.coveringflorida.org.