600,000 Oklahomans don't have health insurance

Oklahomans without health insurance. It's not just a problem for people who are sick. News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan has the story. <br><br>Tammy and Leon Nichols have their 3-year-old son Kevin

Monday, March 10th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Oklahomans without health insurance. It's not just a problem for people who are sick. News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan has the story.

Tammy and Leon Nichols have their 3-year-old son Kevin in for a check-up at the Morton Comprehensive Health Service - where the majority of patients have little or no health insurance. Tammy Nichols, â€œHe's been sick, I can't tell if he's got a cold.â€ The Nichols family has no insurance - it stopped in December of last year, the day Leon was laid off. Leon Nichols, "Once I lost it, because after having 4 years of insurance and being able to go to the doctor and being able to go to the doctor and have it covered, after you lose it, what do you do?"

They've found navigating the system of free and subsidized care is both time consuming and frustrating. They're now getting subsidized health care for Kevin, and are happy with his care. But they say for adults - living without health insurance makes a big difference from the moment they try to get an appointment. Leon Nichols: "I wouldn't say they treat you bad, but it's different when you have insurance and when you don't. You're going to wait longer, when you don't have insurance, it's like not getting on the boat first."

It wouldn't matter as long as they were healthy - but Tammy is pregnant. She's not sure when she's due - and she's not been to a doctor for prenatal care. They say when it comes down to it, without health insurance, families have to decide whether they can afford to visit a doctor, and sometimes, like so many other families - they just don't have the money.

There are 600,000 Oklahomans without health insurance. Many times - no insurance means no healthcare - because people either don't know where to get help - or can't get to a subsidized clinic.

Some advocacy groups are hoping the legislature can help prop up some of these low cost clinics - but they're facing cuts just like everybody else.