| I Cannot Afford To Be Sick |
| Written by Gil Michel, MBA | |
 There are a couple things that happened with me recently that made me think about medical costs within the Black community as it pertains to money (Hence, the title of this article.) The first instance occurred one Friday night as some family and friends watched Tyler Perry’s DVD, “Whats Done in the Dark”. There is an undertone in the play that encourages the viewer to make sure they schedule regular check-ups with the doctor, incorporating a number of particular tests like prostate screenings and mammograms. But there is a line in the play from Mr. Brown (still don’t know his first name) that had me cracking up (and thinking). He said, “Cora, we all know that Black men don’t go to the doctor because they need to be at work, making sure they’re making money.” And when asked, what if they’re sick, he replies, “They don’t need to know that, ‘cause if they do then they can’t work and pay they bills!”. The truth is, we as a people, can’t afford, not to be checked out regularly. There are a number of diseases that plague our community that if detected early enough, can be preventable and treatable, most of the time. Some of which are diabetes, high blood pressure, prostate disease, and hypertension.
The second instance was the “Take Your Loved One To The Doctor Day”, which is facilitated by the Tom Joyner Morning Show. As I was listening to the various people who called in, I couldn’t help but see visions of dollar signs. Not really FOR the doctors as much as it was AGAINST the clients who were paying needless dollars for treatments, doctor visits, equipment and prescriptions that they really didn’t need. As an accountant, I see up close, the staggering medical bills that working and middle class families struggle to cope with. Many of these families actually have some type of insurance, but even with that, many families find themselves getting drowned in a sea of debt with very little hope in sight.But it doesn’t have to be this way. First, take time to see how you can protect your family financially from a scenario like the one I just described. Many states are now offering free health care to children if a few qualifications are met. These usually have to do with income requirements and family size. Second, make sure your health insurance reflects the proper amount of deductible for different types of treatment and prescriptions. Last but not least, the adage of old still rings true, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." If you invest the time and energy, it will cause to avoid the very real financial burdens that could await you if you don't. |
