The Affordable Care Act does not seem to be properly working for everyone. I spoke to a Murfreesboro man who just left his doctor's office after learning that he would soon lose his foot due to a lack of circulation. Evidently, the foot has a chance of being saved, but because of a lack of insurance, surgery cannot be performed until it is needed in an emergency situation. At that point the foot will have to be amputated.
Arnold Coe lives in a small camper located in Rutherford County and makes less than $1,100 per month. Coe told me that he cannot afford insurance once he factors in his cost of living. Right now his monthly expenses add up to over $600. That leaves him with $500 to buy food, clothing, and medication.
Coe suffers from a vascular disease that is causing the tissue in his foot to die due to a lack of circulation. He has pain nearly 24-hours a day in his foot. As the problem worsens, the foot will begin to change color which is a sign of more tissue dying. If his foot is not amputated in a proper amount of time, gangrene will set in which could lead to death in a short period of time if left untreated.
Hear what Coe had to say (audio) HERE.
Background:
Mr. Coe started smoking at age 5. He told me, "My grandfather use to call me out to the front porch and say 'Let's have a cigar." He said that he would get his own cigar. From that point on, smoking came natural. Today, Coe is 55-years old. A previous doctor told him that his vascular disease will eventually lead to a loss of limbs as it progresses throughout his life. Coe told us, "The light at the end of the tunnel doesn't look very bright."