The night before my 25th birthday, I was riding across the Morrison bridge in Portland when the front wheel of my bike dropped into one of the bridge joints. I don’t remember anything after that. It wasn’t until the next morning that I regained consciousness. I have no recollection of the hospital, the ambulance ride, the MRI or the x-rays. My $10,000 bill isn’t explained clearly enough to fully understand what care I was given. I just know I have to pay for it. I never went back to the hospital for follow up care because I didn't want to run up anymore bills.

I returned to work pretty quickly but was nauseous and dizzy for weeks. Even though I had been working full time for over six months, it wasn’t until after my accident that I found out about an available benefit package through my employer. I was without health insurance for six years and had no idea it was even an option. It would certainly have been nice to know about those benefits beforehand.

I have since applied for financial assistance for my medical bills through the hospital. Even though the hospital staff knew that I was uninsured, no one told me there was help available to pay my bill. Apparently, it is not their policy to let uninsured or low income patients know that there is help for them . I found out through a friend.

The number of uninsured in my generation is growing. I’ve seen many of my friends establish significant debt after one accident or sickness. Whatever I can do. I'd like to have an effect if possible. I just see it repeated over and over again. For being such a progressive state, it's amazing we can get away with it.

Ash’s Message to Legislators:

“I think it should be hospital policy to be given more information about what you're being charged for, any assistance out there to pay for it and resources for where to go to get more care if you need it.”