So you think we don't need Health Care reform...

Sharon is 56 years old. Her husband got laid off from his job and lost the insurance that was available through his work. He didn't choose the COBRA option, rather he decided to look for greener pastures on many levels and presented Sharon with divorce papers. He left her the house, with the remaining years of mortgage payments, but not much else for the all years she spent as a homemaker caring for him and the kids.
So here she is, 56 years old, no job skills, no work history and living in a town of less than 7,000. Not much opportunity, and NO INCOME!!! She starts working through the program that helps seniors find jobs and lands a 3/4 time job for $10.00 per hour! Pretty good for this area of the state. She even has the option to buy into the company insurance program. Sounds pretty good huh? Hmmm. Let's see. 30 hours per week x $10.00 = $300.00 per week. Paid bi-weekly that comes to about $1,296.00 per month. But that's gross income and who ever sees gross income? Minus taxes, medicare, FICA let's say she's taking home $1000.00 per month.
The health insurance through her employer costs $250.00. Not bad.
Her mortgage payment is $500.00 per month. Utilities run $200.00 per month (much more in winter cause it gets really cold here). Her car is paid for thank goodness, but there's still gas, upkeep and insurance. Let's say that's $75.00 per month. And then there's things like FOOD. Another $200 per month. Wait, even at $200 per month that's, um,
250 plus 500 plus 200 plus 75 plus 200 that's, whoa, $1,225.00! That's not going to work. Let's see, if she gives up her house she'd still have to rent someplace which would be at least the same as her mortgage payment. She already cut out the cable and internet and phone. (She just pays for minutes on a cell phone.) She could use the car less, but a town of 7,000 doesn't have a regular bus route and right now it's about 10 degrees outside. Fluffy, you're going to have to go. Look's like she can't afford to take "advantage" of the insurance offered through her employer. Too bad, cause it would be nice to be able to not skip her antidepressent meds, but maybe if she cuts down to once every other day she won't slip back into the mind numbing deadness of depression.