Skip to main content
Roberta Riley's picture

"My mom makes the best hummus in the whole world!" exclaims six-year-old Ama.

I agree.

Kristi's Daughter NOHLA

A few years ago, Kristi Brown Wokoma, 45, a Seattle mom and chef, melded soul food with a Mediterranean influence to transform black-eyed peas into hummus. People loved it so much it became the centerpiece of her growing business. I buy a little tub of Kristi’s yummy creation every time I shop at my local grocery store.

Kristi always wanted health insurance. Over the years, she looked into premium prices for small businesses like hers. But she could never find a plan that fit her budget.

Then, a few years ago, her health sunk to an all-time low. She was sapped of energy, utterly exhausted. Doctors diagnosed uterine fibroids as the culprit.  Several masses had swollen and grown so painful she had to undergo surgery. Afterwards, the hospital bills nearly forced her into bankruptcy.

Still, she never thought she’d see the day she could actually afford health insurance.

Kristi NOHLA

Luckily, just before Halloween, Kristi suspended her disbelief long enough to figure out her new coverage options at:  https://www.wahealthplanfinder.org/

She plugged in her income and expenses and quickly learned she qualified for no cost Apple Health coverage.

Yet even after her new insurance card arrived in the mail, she didn’t believe it would get her any health care.

The real test came in January when Kristi visited the doctor and learned that an IUD costing a whopping $700 would be the best solution to keep her medical condition from worsening.  Sure enough, her new insurance came through: the device was ordered and promptly installed, free of charge, without any co-pays.

“This relieves so much anxiety,” says Kristi.  “I’m really excited and appreciative of the Affordable Care Act.  For the first time in my life, I'm beginning to trust that my health needs will be taken care of.”

 

Side bar:

Open enrollment ends March 31, 2014

So sign-up now if you need coverage: https://www.healthcare.gov

If you live in Washington State go to://www.wahealthplanfinder.org/


The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of MomsRising.org.

MomsRising.org strongly encourages our readers to post comments in response to blog posts. We value diversity of opinions and perspectives. Our goals for this space are to be educational, thought-provoking, and respectful. So we actively moderate comments and we reserve the right to edit or remove comments that undermine these goals. Thanks!