Dirigo is the choice plan; let’s fight to keep it going

I recently learned that funding for the Dirigo Health program is in trouble and that House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree has submitted a bill to stabilize funding and preserve the program. I fully support the Dirigo Health program and, frankly, need it to continue my way of life.

I am 32 years old, a self-employed pet sitter from South Thomaston that has been enrolled in Dirigo Choice since June 2007. Before then, I essentially had not had health insurance since college. For a brief time I had a “catastrophic” policy from the National Association of the Self-Employed, but the premium rates went up every month and it didn’t take long before even this policy became unaffordable for me. I just had to gamble that nothing awful was going to happen. My parents were nervous for me.

After years of being uneasy about not having coverage, I made an appointment and learned that Dirigo really was affordable. We number-crunched in a local agency office and I left feeling elated that I was finally going to have health insurance.

The timing was a stroke of good fortune for me because in July I noticed lumps in my neck. I found a primary-care physician and that visit started the ball rolling to a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in September.

Other than the lumps, I had no symptoms. I felt fine. Therefore, I firmly believe that had I not had insurance, and thus only a $25 co-pay, I would not have gone to the doctor’s until I felt badly enough. I am a nonsmoking, fit and lean young woman. Who would have thought? I was stage II when diagnosed, but had I waited I might have been stage IV, which means disease has spread to other organs. Also, the largest tumor in my chest was beginning to press against a major vein and it was growing at a rate of 2 centimeters per month. I am lucky I didn’t wait, but I think about how many uninsured people would hold off going to the doctor until worse came to worse.

I am truly blessed that I signed up for Dirigo Choice when I did. Right from the diagnosis I adopted a positive attitude about treating this cancer that helped me get through a very long winter. Knowing that I had health coverage was one of the main reasons I could be positive about cancer. How can anyone stay positive when every step of the way you are plunging yourself deeper and deeper into debt? Because I had health insurance and some savings to fall back on, I said from the beginning that this cancer was not meant to destroy me. I feel that my attitude helped me on the road to recovery as much as the treatments.

I am now cancer free and finished my treatment last week, but my story does not end there. I realize that I can never be without health insurance again. If I lose health insurance, Hodgkin’s can still ruin my life. There will be follow-up visits, CT scans several times a year, blood work and God forbid a relapse could occur. If it’s not Dirigo Choice, then it will have to be someone else. And if it’s someone else, I might not be able to afford them as a self-employed person on an individual plan.

My need to have continuous health insurance is so non-negotiable now that being insured would have higher priority for me than working in a fulfilling career, and that is sad.

I have been overjoyed to have Dirigo Health coverage. It has excellent benefits and is very affordable. I told all of my 30-something friends how great and easy it was but then had to tell them that, unfortunately, enrollment was capped.

I’d like it to remain just as it is, but I’m realistic about the budget shortfalls and I’ve heard the criticisms about the program. I don’t understand why it hasn’t taken off. I have only good things to say about it. I know changes are in order, but I strongly encourage legislators to fight to keep the program going. We can make Dirigo better, fix the bugs and send the message to the rest of the country that Maine believes all citizens should have health coverage.

Candace Kuchinski lives in South Thomaston.