The Final State of the Union
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"I'm a small business owner with my feet planted firmly on the ground. I am an American with many hopes and dreams and I know I will face many challenges ahead. But, now I have peace of mind and less anxiety about maintaining good health."
If you're driving through Council Bluffs, Iowa and you come across any large and beautiful murals on the side of city buildings, you may be looking at Cait's life work. Cait is the daughter of public school educators who encouraged her to use her "unique and natural born talents" to make her own way in the world.
But in her early twenties, Cait was dropped from her mother's insurance plan and there was no way she could afford her own insurance. Though she worked full time, none of her employers offered health insurance. "The few times that I needed to seek medical help, I went into major debt and had to opt for payment plans," she said. "Some of these bills took years to pay off. Even receiving basic preventive care seemed like a far off dream."
Now, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Cait is free to make an even bigger dream a reality. Under the ACA, Iowa expanded its Medicaid program, and, at 34, Cait finally has the health insurance she needs to start her own business in community beautification. But her outlook expands far beyond the beauty of her work: "My vision is to build a successful organization that takes care of [its] employees while inspiring change and awareness through art."
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