Michael Boyce was employed but uninsured when he developed persistent pain. “Frankly, we could not afford to ‘just go see the doctor,’”says his wife Sandy, now a La Clinica board member. “We had to adjust our budget and save for an appointment.”
With the saved money, Michael went to a specialist, who required additional visits and costly tests to adequately diagnose his condition. It was care that Michael could not afford. As his condition worsened, the couple heard about La Clinica’s affordable care, and Michael scheduled an appointment.
“Our medical provider at La Clinica suspected a different diagnosis and helped coordinate care with specialty providers,” says Sandy. “We felt we were on the road to getting answers.”
Before Michael could be seen by a specialist, however, severe pain sent him to Rogue Valley Medical Center’s emergency department, where tests revealed stage three testicular cancer. “Life as we knew it drastically changed,” recalls Sandy. Surgery was immediate, followed by four months of aggressive chemotherapy.
A year later, Michael is cancer free, and the couple is without medical debt. His new employer, Lithia Motors, provides medical benefits, but the couple will never forget what it was like to be sick and uninsured.
Says Sandy: “No one should have to delay seeing a doctor because they can’t afford medical care. La Clinica makes it possible for anyone to get the care they need regardless of their finances. As a board member, I am convicted to help others the way that we were helped.”
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Being uninsured Jennifer struggled to find a prenatal health provider:
