Undocumented/Uninsured
For an undocumented person, the options for healthcare in California are emergency Medi-Cal, which covers emergency room visits and pregnancy, or community clinics, which often use sliding-scale payment methods. While undocumented immigrants are legally allowed to purchase private health insurance not affiliated with the Affordable Care Act, the costs of monthly insurance premiums are prohibitively expensive. None of the people I interviewed have health insurance through an employer.
The men and women I photographed spoke of sleepless nights and panic attacks related to a lack of health care. A few people said they have rationed medicine like asthma inhalers because the cost of getting a new one—around $30-$60 without insurance—is too much. Doctor visits are put off until an illness is severe or the pain becomes unbearable. I sat quietly while people cried, wondering how they could take care of their families when their own health was deteriorating. Fruit and vegetable-based diets, brewing herbal teas and over-the-counter medicines are the main line of defense.
(Made possible through a fellowship with the Center for Health Journalism at USC)