Health Care Overhaul Could Face Supreme Scrutiny Next Week

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by Kirk Hawkins
Bio | Email | Follow: @kirkhawkins

Story Created: Jun 23, 2012 at 11:21 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jun 23, 2012 at 11:45 PM EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--Helen McDaniel spends spends roughly 150-dollars on medications
each month and she's uninsured. The West Charlotte resident said, "My mother always told me when you get down to the last seven pills, if you don't have the money, call somebody."

N.C. Med Assist says McDaniel could be one of roughly 84-thousand people in Mecklenburg County who would receive health insurance if President Obama's Health Care overhaul survives Supreme court scrutiny.  "Not knowing what is going to happen, we just have to wait and see,"
said Kelly Musante, N.C. Med Assist's Development Director.

The non-profit provides medications for low income uninsured patients. "People come to us every day. They are choosing between buying their food or medicine. They just can't afford both," she said.

While some uninsured patients will receive relief, Med Assist said the other half of uninsured Mecklenburg County residents won't receive health insurance. They earn either too much or too little to meet the health care overhaul's income limitations.

McDaniel pays for her pills with her income as a part time personal care assistant. When the 51-year-old's money runs out, her two daughters and her faith help out. "That's all you gotta do. You gotta work. Pray on it and work together and just do the best you can do you know?"

Carolina's Medical Center said they spent about one billion dollars on othe uninsured
last year. That's a slight drop compared to last year.
 

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