{"id":16068,"date":"2021-01-15T09:00:33","date_gmt":"2021-01-15T14:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress-537697-2997182.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=16068"},"modified":"2023-10-30T13:09:17","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T17:09:17","slug":"why-is-lack-of-affordable-healthcare-a-leading-cause-of-homelessness-in-the-united-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress-537697-2997182.cloudwaysapps.com\/why-is-lack-of-affordable-healthcare-a-leading-cause-of-homelessness-in-the-united-states\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is Lack of Affordable Healthcare a Leading Cause of Homelessness in the United States?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Throughout this public health emergency known as COVID-19, we\u2019ve oft-discussed the idea that housing is healthcare. It\u2019s a well-known fact among advocates and the general homeless population that homelessness in and of itself, can cause extreme health conditions and disparities. What many might be unaware of, however, is the fact that one rarely discussed cause of homelessness is lack of affordable healthcare.<\/p>\n

In July of 2009, the National Coalition for the Homeless published a press release<\/a> detailing the role that lack of affordable healthcare plays in creating situations that make everyday working Americans more vulnerable to homelessness. To quote the text verbatim, the authors state that:<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor health is both a cause and a result of homelessness.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Throughout the transcript, the series of events leading up to homelessness is detailed as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cFor families struggling to pay the rent, a serious illness or disability can start a downward spiral into homelessness, beginning with a lost job, depletion of savings to pay for care, and eventual eviction.\u201d<\/em><\/h4>\n

Lack of affordable healthcare is a cause of homelessness.<\/strong> But it’s not just any cause, it’s a leading cause. These findings are particularly worrisome at a time when illness has overtaken us and mass unemployment has come about as the result of government-mandated shutdowns, some of which are still happening across the country.<\/p>\n

By now, we all know at least one person who has been infected with the novel Coronavirus. Perhaps they suffered terribly due to underlying conditions. Perhaps they were fortunate and only had a mild bout with illness. Regardless of their personal experience, one thing is clear:<\/p>\n

If they were essential workers, a positive test result rendered them unable to return to their place of employment for at least two weeks and in some cases up to a month. While financial safety nets appear to be in place if such events transpire, the truth is that the process is lengthy and the money is not guaranteed.<\/em><\/p>\n

A positive test result ultimately gives way to a corporate volleyball game where workman\u2019s comp and the unemployment office play hot potato with the infected person\u2019s dividends.<\/h4>\n

The sick person spends hours on the phone being transferred from one operator to another, waiting weeks just to find out if they\u2019re entitled to any compensation. All the while, they are unable to return to work, even if their symptoms have subsided. To worsen matters, this same sort of game is playing out again on a larger scale as congress, the senate, and the president attempt to tie survival checks to packages promoting their own agendas.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not that the general public hasn\u2019t noticed. With hashtags like #VoteThemOut and #Lockdown trending, social media is abuzz with criticism from people who feel powerless and disappointed.<\/p>\n

As Twitter user Simon Gibson eloquently put it:<\/p>\n

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600 dollars is what rich people think poor people think is a lot of money<\/p>\n

\u2014 Simon Gibson (@simeygibson) December 18, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n