Expand HUSKY for undocumented immigrants

I arrived in the United States four years ago as an 18 year old, it was a great challenge for me. Health care is a fundamental human right, but accessing medical care has been a struggle for me and my family because it is very expensive and not accessible for undocumented immigrants.

I was born with heart problems. Heart murmur, Wolff Parkinson-White syndrome and Ebstein’s Anomaly. I will never forget my first medical appointment in this country when I received a bill for $5,000 for two tests I was able to regularly get in my country. I was very scared, my mind kept thinking how could I afford my testing if I could barely keep up with regular expenses. I worked and studied but it was not enough. I tried to apply for insurance but was denied because in Connecticut undocumented immigrants are denied health insurance.

I was told I needed open-heart surgery. I was terribly scared, not only about undergoing such a delicate operation, but also how to afford it. It was one of the most difficult moments I have ever gone through in my life. After a year and a half I was able to receive charity care at Yale New Haven Hospital. They told me that for now I’m fine but must continue having many checkups. I may need open heart surgery in the future. Every year, I must apply for charity care, and there is always the fear that they will reject it.

Thanks to Connecticut expanding HUSKY coverage to children under 12, my 8-year-old brother can now access the health care he needs. There is a new proposal in the Connecticut legislature right now to extend to 18 years old. If this proposal passes, my 17-year-old sister would be able to access health care. But my parents and I (I’m 22) would still be left out. My father got injured from his work but he couldn’t go to physiotherapy because it’s very expensive. My mom needs to get her eyes checked but cannot afford it.

People don’t stop getting sick at age 12 or 18; anyone can get sick regardless of age or nationality. Therefore I ask our legislators to listen to our stories, understand our needs and expand access to HUSKY for all undocumented immigrants. Just like my case and that of my family, there are many others who are in despair not knowing what to do and where to seek help for their health issues. What country you are from should not matter, we must support each other in difficult and delicate moments. We ask to be heard and taken seriously.

We ask our legislators to empathize with our stories and expand HUSKY to tour undocumented immigrant communities.