Over half of American adults cant afford healthcare. According to Gallup surveys on healthcare, 11% of Americans, roughly 29 MILLION people in the country are considered “cost desperate” meaning they cant afford any kind of health insurance at all. In El Paso alone, the number of adults who don’t have health insurance at all is 32%. The El Paso Baptist Clinic has been the answer for impoverished El Pasoan’s in need of care for 51 years.
Believe it or not, I belong to this group of American’s who cannot afford even discounted health care. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in 2023, I was in keto acidosis and almost died. Since then, without access to healthcare, I have lost almost 200 pounds and many of my worst symptoms have subsided. Regardless of that, so many other issues were popping up as a result of the unchecked diabetes.
Over the weekend I went to an appointment I was anxious and terrified about because I had a pocket full of quarters to my name and nothing else. I parked on Piedras and Nashville and walked into The El Paso Baptist Clinic where I was greeted with busy, rushing nurses who still accepted me with kindness and a smile.
The entire visit was full of informed, hardworking people from the nurse who did my intake and history to the doctor herself. All of which were sincere, honest, kind, and accommodating. Never once was I made to feel like a burden, or shamed for not being able to afford basic healthcare needs…