Healthcare Story

When 67-year-old Clarence Wheeler was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes last year, he was instantly bombarded with various treatment options and medications to help treat his illness. As a long-time employee of the Los Angeles Tax Collector’s office, Wheeler received his health insurance through his job, paying a small out-of-pocket fee for doctors’ visits and medication. Shortly after his diagnosis, Wheeler began noticing sharp pains in his left foot and it was getting more and more difficult to walk and stand for long periods of time.
“It was extremely painful to walk,” said Wheeler. “I just couldn’t take the pain anymore, so I went to the doctor.”
After his visit, a series of tests were performed and doctors found a clogged femoral artery in his left foot. In a normally functioning body, the femoral and popliteal arteries are supposed to supply oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to the legs. Decreased blood flow to the feet can cause excruciating pain, even when the patient is resting. The femoral arteries in Wheeler’s left foot were completely clogged. In order to remove the blockage, Wheeler was scheduled for surgery immediately.
“In the beginning, I thought it was no big deal,” said Wheeler. “Then I started to realize the problem might be more serious than I thought.”
The healthcare package Wheeler received through his job’s plan helped cover the costs of his surgery, yet, he still had to pay out of pocket fees. After his surgery, he was placed on temporary medical leave without pay. Even though Wheeler had already drawn his social security, the money still was not enough to help pay for his coverage. Without a steady income, Wheeler found himself unable to work to help pay for his healthcare costs.
Wheeler’s wife, Carol, was instrumental in making sure her husband could still be taken care of after his surgery. She took matters into her own hand and began calling around to find affordable medical insurance for her husband. She even called his place of employment and collaborated with the health insurance company to ensure her husband would receive the proper medical care he needed. Unfortunately, the insurance premium would prove to be too expensive if Wheeler were to keep it through his employer. He had to drop the plan through his employer and act quickly to find another.
Meanwhile, back in the rehabilitation center Wheeler was recovering in, doctors found the femoral bypass to be unsuccessful. Wheeler was still in severe pain and there was only one way to alleviate it—through amputation of the limb.
Wheeler underwent two surgeries, one to completely remove his left foot, which again proved to be unsuccessful, and another to the bottom half of his left leg. This was a major blow to Wheeler, just as he thought his healthcare would finally straighten itself out.
Eventually, after a series of calls and getting the run-around with some insurance companies, Wheeler’s wife, Carol, found a plan designed for the elderly through Medicare that would allow Wheeler to keep his medical insurance with Kaiser Permanente and pay a smaller premium.
“It was a miracle to find something affordable,” she said. “Insurance costs, even for the elderly, are outrageous these days.”
As for Clarence, he is now on permanent medical leave and is bedridden. A nurse comes to his home two times a week to help him with his rehabilitation. Currently, he gets around with the help of a wheelchair and is determined to gain back some of his independence.
“Before, I was upset to learn that I would lose my leg,” said Wheeler. “But it was either that, or my life.”