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The Faces of Health Care: April W.

January 5, 2015 at 2:03 PM ET by Tanya Somanader

Summary:

Thanks to her health coverage, April can rest and heal without the looming debt from one literal misstep hanging over her.

"I just wanted to write you to say this: THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! Without you and your Affordable Care Act, I would now be nearly $24,000 in debt with no way to pay for it."

It was a freak accident. After losing her job at a uranium enrichment plant in Paducah, Kentucky, April had landed a new job and just needed to be employed for 60 days to get covered by her new employer. But one day, she turned her ankle while walking down some steps. Not only did she dislocate her ankle, she broke her leg in two places. "I required surgery to repair my broken tibia and fibula and to put my ankle back in place," she said.

Fortunately, after losing her job at the plant, April bought a health care plan online through the Health Insurance Marketplace -- so she was covered when she fell.

"I received my hospital bill. It included the ambulance ride, the surgery, and my overnight hospital stay. The bill was $23,804.11," she said. "My 'Obamacare' insurance? It paid $22,576.55 of it."

Thanks to her health coverage, April can rest and heal without the looming debt from one literal misstep hanging over her.

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