I’ve stumbled upon an interesting demographic that often qualifies for Commonwealth Care: artists and writers. Their income level is generally over the poverty level, but below the cut-off of $31,000 for Commonweatlh Care eligibility. And this is a demographic that often didn’t have insurance before.

I met one 43-year-old artist in Northampton while we were both shopping at a video store. She heard me talking to the staff person about my health reporting project, and she offered herself as an example of someone who is getting the new subsidized insurance…..and who likely would be uninsured otherwise.

A week or so later, I arranged to meet her at her apartment/studio. She has not had to use the insurance much — just for routine things, like mammograms and pap smears. She hasn’t had a physical, because she doesn’t think her doctor will have enough time to give her the attention she would like. She has been frustrated by the bureacracy she has had to go through to stay on Commonwealth Care — in part, she says, because she’s sure it’s even harder for people who are less educated and adept at navigating the world, and THOSE people may well fall off the rolls.

During our interview, she made an interesting comment: “I am not grateful for health insurance, because I believe it is a right. Everyone SHOULD have health care. But I am glad to have it.” She has lived in Europe where there was single-payer, universal health care, so to her, this program falls well short of that model in terms of cost-efficiency, social obligations, and general fairness. Having said that, she acknowledges that she’s lucky to have health insurance at an affordable rate.

Tomorrow, I’m meeting with another artist in Holyoke who is on Commonwealth Care. Judging from our brief phone conversation to set up the interview, she sounds much happier with the service. It may come down to individual health narratives and how much the insurance is used.

I’m also meeting with a small business owner who called me after hearing one of my stories on WFCR. He’s furious with the health reform law, because he does not qualify for Comm Care (by a small margin) and resents being forced to buy private insurance at a rate he cannot afford. He has chosen NOT to get it and will instead incur the penalty.