My name is Tina Gauthier, and I am a resident of Hessmer, Louisiana. I have been fighting AFib, high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes for many years now. I guess you could say I’ve spent a lot of time in the hospital. With those stays come a lot of bills, particularly for my medications.

I am now on Medicaid and many of my medications are mostly covered –– but I know all about going without my medication. There were some medications I couldn’t access at all, and going without needed meds is how my heart disease developed. I’ve had trouble getting Lantus insulin, which has led to increasing blindness in my right eye. I also can’t get the Lyrica that would help me with nerve pain.

I can now get most of the medications my doctor prescribed me. However, they still cost me $60 a month. This may not seem like a lot, but I am disabled and it massively affects my budget. It takes a bite out of my food budget, leaving me to cut out certain healthier, more expensive foods that could improve my health.

I hate having to watch my health get worse because my medicines are too expensive. I worked at a nursing home and helped out the elderly, and saw many who struggled to afford their medications. I never thought I would end up in their situation.