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Saira Cortez has had a rough six months: She was diagnosed with a hemorrhage and anemia that required her to see specialists and receive blood transfusions. She鈥檚 also been told she needs a hysterectomy to quell the bleeding.
But she doesn鈥檛 have health insurance, making her access to adequate care difficult.
Cortez, who speaks Spanish, pushed through tears at a news conference held at CASA鈥檚 Multicultural Center on Wednesday as George Escobar, the organization鈥檚 chief of programs and services, translated her story.
Cortez said that doctors are refusing to perform surgery on her because she鈥檚 uninsured, leaving her confused and helpless.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been very confusing because on 鈥� the one side, I have received all these blood transfusions 鈥� I鈥檝e received all this emergency care 鈥� but on the other side, when I鈥檓 released, I鈥檝e been told to wait. I鈥檓 being told that this isn鈥檛 an emergency,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut how can it not be an emergency? I literally can鈥檛 leave my house. I have to even wear adult diapers to be able to move around.鈥�
Cortez鈥檚 situation is not unique, which has led CASA, the Prince George鈥檚 County chapter of the NAACP, Maryland Citizens鈥� Health Initiative and 1199 SEIU to join forces to create the Prince George鈥檚 County Care For All Coalition.
The Care For All Coalition is a partnership dedicated to campaigning for expanded health care services in Prince George鈥檚 County through the creation of a centralized primary care system available to those without health insurance.
Prince George鈥檚 County Council Vice President Deni Taveras (D) said that the council has had 鈥減ositive鈥� preliminary conversations about the commission鈥檚 effort.
Taveras said that the Prince George鈥檚 County Council has already allotted $5 million over three years to a program to ensure that those with the ability to access federally qualified health centers won鈥檛 be turned away.
鈥淏ut now the conversation [is], how do we expand it and mold it so that all families can be included for all issues?鈥� she asked at the Wednesday news conference.
In Prince George鈥檚 County, 13% of residents are living without health insurance 鈥� the highest rate of uninsured people out of Maryland鈥檚 24 jurisdictions.
And the disparity between those with and without coverage was only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit Black and Brown communities at a disproportionate rate.
Digna Ramirez, an uninsured single mother with a sizeable amount of medical debt, has suffered through the inequities laid bare by the pandemic.
Escobar also translated her story at the Wednesday news conference.
Ramirez has accumulated tens of thousands of dollars in medical debt over the past decade after hospital stays for pneumonia, a car accident and, more recently, COVID-19.
鈥淪o I was isolated,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd yet another bill. More bills coming on top of bills, but I鈥檓 still here today before you.鈥�
Ramirez pulled a clear, resealable, gallon-sized bag from her purse. It was filled with different medications she鈥檚 required to take every day.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a struggle just to pay [for] this medication. I don鈥檛 have insurance, I don鈥檛 have anything that covers it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 live off of the kindness of others and donations and my family that are helping me.鈥�
Ramirez is lucky: According to a聽聽released by Families USA, from the beginning of the pandemic to Aug. 31, 2020, 32% of COVID-19 deaths were related to the health insurance gap.
鈥淭he question for all of us is, what are we prepared to do about it?鈥� Escobar asked. 鈥淗ow are we prepared to prevent this devastation from happening again?鈥�
His answer: ensuring that everyone, 鈥渞egardless of race, gender identity, and immigration status,鈥� has access to primary care.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not the responsibility of the federal government to take care of our community, it鈥檚 the responsibility of all of us,鈥� Escobar said.
