Donna Smith – Colorado

Donna’s Story

My Healthcare-NOW connection started a long time ago in 2007 when my husband and I were featured in Michael Moore’s award-winning documentary SiCKO about the U.S. healthcare system. At that time, as at all times in our lives, we were covered by health insurance. And yet the deductibles and the co-pays and all the costs that went along with that quickly ate up any resources we had, alongside that insurance, and we were bankrupted after we had already lost our home and nearly everything we had worked to achieve.

We are parents of six children, now 15 grandchildren, and wonderful great grandchildren. We are STILL fighting with the healthcare system. I just recently had foot surgery – a partial foot reconstruction – and it’s been a real chore to make sure that everything was set up with a payment plan and all the things that have to be done that should NOT have to be done when you’re not feeling well and you need to have something done. Nor should the people who love you have to worry about it and think about it. It’s just so unnecessary and makes me so angry.

So just because we were featured in a Michael Moore documentary did not take us away from all the awful things that happen to us. As you grow older there are things that you need from the healthcare system. A relationship with a provider can be very difficult and very precious, and it’s so hard – it shouldn’t be this hard. I hope someday we’ll achieve Medicare for All – a true improved and expanded Medicare for All – so that no one goes through what my husband and I have gone through, nor millions of other Americans have gone through. Thanks to healthcare now for collecting our stories as patients – it matters so very much. Thank you!

This Speaker’s Availability

This speaker is willing to speak with reporters and is willing to speak at public events. This speaker’s story can be quoted with attribution.

To be put in touch, please reach out to us at mystory@healthcare-now.org or call us at 215-732-2131!