A Personal Account of Why Utah Needs to Change Laws Governing Health Care for Domestic Partners
Monday, December 1st, 2008When my younger sister, Jenee, moved here to Utah, she was 18 years old, going on 19. Things were bad at home with our mother, and I knew she needed to be somewhere else. So, I bought her a one-way ticket to Utah, with a promise of a return ticket in a few weeks, whenever she wanted it. Well, I’ve never purchased it.
Jenee is now 23, going on 24. It was mid-December when she moved here, so it’s been almost 5 years, now.
She has lived with me on and off for most of that time, as she is now. Jenee has relied on me for a lot of things, including finances ocassionally, though I won’t get to far into that in such an open forum. Suffice it to say, I have considered her my dependant this entire time. I jokingly refer to her as my 3rd child, though that often irritates her.
Over the years, she has has many medical conditions, most of them minor. She has always had hives (nonstop), though because she can’t afford an allergy test, she has only been able to deal with it by ocassionally getting some cream that she hoards, because she doesn’t often have the chance to get it. She’s had minor infections like strep throat which go untreated, probably infecting others without her having much choice. She’s had multiple ear infections, which also go untreated, the last of which left a hole in her eardrum. After that, she managed to go to a doctor but it was too late for him to do anything except recommend surgery she couldn’t afford.
Her birth control comes from Planned Parenthood, thank the heavens for that organization, because otherwise she would have no access to it. Her last PAP smear came back abnormal, which could mean anything, but what if it’s something serious? I’m not even covering everything here, but you have a good idea of the medical challenges she faces, which are so easily treatible, if only Utah law would recognize her dependence on me!
She’s never had much of an income, and scapes by. She can’t afford health insurance. Living with me, she can’t qualify for any state benefits, even if she were willing and they were available (which she’s not and they aren’t).
If Utah were to pass domestic partner benefits during the upcoming year, as have been proposed, I would be able to add my sister to my insurance benefits. The hole in my sister’s ear would be fixed, when she gets strep throat, it doesn’t get shared with the general public, and she’d be able to find out what’s causing her hives and end the constant holes in her arms from them. This is all much more expensive untreated than treated.
There are thousands of stories just like hers across Utah, whether it’s a grandparent, relative or “life partner”, dependant upon their loved ones financially, who just go without healthcare because they have no choice. This is something we can end, and we should. Human compassion says it’s the right thing to do.
Will you call your State Representative and Senator, and ask them for their support of the Common Ground Initiative, especially the Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act? Please, for Jenee, and for all the other children, parents, grandparents and PEOPLE it will benefit?
