The truth behind the access to a health insurance and health care
Mary Ramirez Gonza

The truth behind the access to a health insurance and health care
Summary of a personal experience Access to health services is often related to having a health insurance. In most of cases both terms go hand in hand, however, this does not always happen in that way. Five years ago, my mother suffered a myocardial infarction. It was an unexpected situation for my family, especially for me. My mother was only 54 years, and the doctors did not ensure her survival. Several weeks after my mother miraculously recovered, the cardiologist who treated her recommended the realization of a catheterization to place a stent in the affected artery. My mother had a Puerto Rico’s government health insurance, a public health insurance designed for people with limited economic resources. When the paperwork for the realization of catheterization began, they were delayed two weeks due to lack of interventional cardiologists. My whole family was worried, and the cardiologist who treated my mother too, because these procedures were necessary to prevent a future heart attack. Unfortunately, several days after my mother leaved the hospital, she returned to an emergency room with a strong chest pain. After that, the procedures were performed. Thankfully, my mother was successfully recovered. This is an example that having health insurance does not ensure access to health services.
Unfortunately, many people who have a health insurance do not receive health services for which they are paying. It is important to stay protected in order to reduce costs in case of accidental situations, or just for routine checkups. In the case of ACA, insured persons should have access to basic health services in the same way as those insured with private insurance have them. Then, why many people who have