Thread by @MtnShepherdess

@hardlynormal @DHCS_CA @tam_tweeets @GavinNewsom I'm 59. Former paralegal. Epilepsy since age 6, diagnosed & treated at Stanford. I lost decades of a productive life because it was legal, until the passage of the Affordable Care Act, to not insure epileptics. I had co-occuring probs, no medical help. -Michaela cc: @EpilepsyFdn

@hardlynormal @DHCS_CA @tam_tweeets @GavinNewsom @EpilepsyFdn 2/ When the Affordable Care Act, I chose my Dr that I had while working with a law firm. Same medical group. They would NOT see me. Told me: "No cash, no care." Big medical group/Sutter Health, Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

@hardlynormal @DHCS_CA @tam_tweeets @GavinNewsom @EpilepsyFdn 3/ It was unlawful to see another provider not on the preprinted card. I called Santa Clara County. Nurses on health line said that this was my medical provider in system. They "should" see me. They wouldn't. -Michaela

@hardlynormal @DHCS_CA @tam_tweeets @GavinNewsom @EpilepsyFdn 4/ I had to get medical care at the hospital emergency room, wfo wanted to know why I wasn't at my provider on the card. Me: "They told me no cash, no care." Medical team said common problem for them: Providers not seeing enrolled patients. End up in ER. -Michaela

@hardlynormal @DHCS_CA @tam_tweeets @GavinNewsom @EpilepsyFdn @threadreaderapp unroll thread, please

@hardlynormal @DHCS_CA @tam_tweeets @GavinNewsom @EpilepsyFdn 5/ The hospital ER staff told me that they weren't permitted to complain. I said that I was a paralegal, college educated, knew what to do. They asked what could be done. Me: "I'll file a complaint with Santa Clara Civil Grand Jury, in charge of county's business." ER: Great!

@hardlynormal @DHCS_CA @tam_tweeets @GavinNewsom @EpilepsyFdn 6/ I filed my complaint with the Santa Clara Civil Grand Jury, mailed it to the court. The SCC civil grand jury voted to hear my complaint about medical care. They had me in to testify. -Michaela

@hardlynormal @DHCS_CA @tam_tweeets @GavinNewsom @EpilepsyFdn 7/ I am not permitted under CA law to disclose my testimony before the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury, or what they said to me. They did start a comprehensive investigation, went to clinics, issued subpoenas, interviewed stakeholders. Big report. -Michaela

@hardlynormal @DHCS_CA @tam_tweeets @GavinNewsom @EpilepsyFdn 8/ The Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury presented their report about healthcare to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. The San Jose Mercury News (newspaper) wrote about it. That's what it took for me to get some medical care. -Michaela

@hardlynormal @DHCS_CA @tam_tweeets @GavinNewsom @EpilepsyFdn Typo due to Twitter auto incorrect: ER