Omar

Omar is a young adult man from Stone Mountain working towards his goals despite struggling with not having access to medical care for his disability.

"Not having insurance has impacted my life because I need medication to support mental function and stability. Without being able to function, it is difficult to maintain employment.”

Omar is a 24-year-old man living in Stone Mountain with his father. He describes himself as confident and humble. He prides himself on his strong social intelligence and works hard at his part-time job at a warehouse. A former football player, he takes care of his health by eating well and staying active. “You do what you got to do,” he says about taking care of himself. 

Barriers to Health Care and Insurance 

Omar is uninsured. He has been unable to see a doctor since August 2022—before his mother’s insurance lapsed. Attempting to access healthcare has been a battle ever since. 

Although Omar has applied for Medicaid, he was denied health insurance and told he needs a medical diagnosis for his developmental disability before he is eligible for benefits. However, due to his lack of insurance, he has not been able to see a doctor to receive that diagnosis.  

When he thinks about healthcare, what first comes to mind is how to pay for it. “It’s like when you have credit with the hospital—like if I get injured, I might not have the money at the moment, so they’ll put me on a payment plan,” he says. “That’s my idea of healthcare.” 

Without health insurance, Omar is unable to access therapeutic care and medications that would help him with his disability. “I don’t see a doctor on a regular basis and haven’t had access to medication [since being uninsured]. Not having insurance has impacted my life because I need medication to support mental function and stability. Without being able to function, it’s difficult to maintain employment.” 

Omar had not heard about the Pathways to Coverage program before. Having been unable to qualify for traditional Medicaid due to a lack of a formal disability diagnosis, he notes it may be difficult for him to qualify for the Pathways to Coverage program too. The Pathways to Coverage program requires enrollees report 80 hours of qualifying activities (such as work, job training, higher education, or volunteering) every month, which could pose another barrier to him accessing healthcare: “It may be hard [to qualify for the program] due to employment requirements, but I would like information on job training.” 

Having Health Insurance “Would Make Life More Convenient” 

Omar has high hopes for his future, and he is clear-eyed about how having quality health insurance could help him reach his goals: “My hope for the future is to get some insurance, a good doctor and therapist, and medication. I think it would make life more convenient. I want to be able to buy a house, move out—that type of stuff.” For him, getting quality health insurance is a step towards ensuring he can live his life independently.  

Omar is an alias for our storyteller who has asked to remain anonymous.