ReShonda Young runs a health food store in Waterloo, Iowa and relies on coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace. “The Affordable Care Act and the premium tax credits have been really important to me,” she said. A widow and cancer survivor, she depends on affordable insurance to stay protected. “The premium tax credit had […]
Topics Archives:
Amy Lynn Smith, Michigan
Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Amy Lynn Smith of Michigan said she would break into a cold sweat every year when she opened her annual insurance renewal letter. As a self-employed woman with Type 1 diabetes, her premiums were exorbitant – closing in on $1,400 a month in 2013. They were increasing $100 a […]
Tony Gonzales, Pennsylvania
Tony Gonzales lives in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, with his wife and youngest daughter. After moving to the state in 2010, he worked as a contractor while earning his doctoral degree. When his company laid off 18% of its workforce, he shifted to teaching full time. As a college professor since 2010, Tony has either lacked employer-based or cost-effective coverage and depends on the […]
Brick Williams, Utah
Brick Williams grew up in Cedar Hills, Utah where he has built a career as a full-time guitar teacher for the past 24 years. Currently, he teaches “anywhere between 55 and 60 students a week,” adding, “It’s a lot of driving and a lot of lessons. It’s a full-time job.” When Brick was 19 years […]
Charlie Kulander, Utah
Charlie Kulander is a 71-year-old resident of Moab, Utah. He and his wife moved to the state in 1989 and raised two children while building a career as a travel writer. He worked as a contributing editor at National Geographic Traveler and collaborated with Expedia and other companies, traveling extensively while using Moab as a base. In […]
Amy Bielawski, Georgia
At 60, Amy Bielawski has spent decades building her small business, Hare-Brained Productions, while making her home in Tucker, Georgia, with her three pets. For much of her adult life, she had no health coverage at all. Since turning 18 in 1983, she has lived without insurance for around 36 years, relying on county health systems and […]
Amy Johnstone, Colorado
Amy Johnstone and her husband live in New Castle, Colorado, a place she calls one of the most expensive in the country to get health insurance. Proximity to ski resort communities, where the couple resides in Garfield County, pushes health care costs much higher for local residents. For them, the Affordable Care Act makes the […]
Sydney Macha, Kansas
Sydney Macha grew up in Derby, Kansas, but has lived in Wichita for the past five years. She has worked as a hairstylist and nail technician since 2017, specializing in vivid colors and bold cuts. Outside of her salon, she paints, fosters animals and helps local rescues. When she lost coverage under her father’s insurance years earlier […]
Stan Clawson, Utah
Stan Clawson was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah where he runs a small business in filmmaking. “I really love the state, love the city, really enjoy the mountains as much as I can access them.” In 1996, at age 20, Stan survived a rock-climbing accident that changed his life. “I was rappelling […]
Eileen & Barry Spickler, Kansas
After 15 years working as a government contractor for the Food and Drug Administration, Barry Spickler retired in June 2024. The budget for his contract was cut, and worsening health issues convinced him that returning to the workforce full-time wasn’t realistic. “I felt my health issues were going to become a performance problem,” Barry said. […]