Chris Logalbo - Ep. 1 - Cigna - My business my health

I got dropped from my health insurance plan when I turned 26. I was on my mother's plan for my whole life. She worked she still works for a public school system so she has great benefits. Now I only work part time because of certain rules and regulations that lawyers and law students have to abide by and one of those rules is that what you're attending law school full-time you can't also work full time. And if I can't work full time then I can't get medical coverage through my job. My name is Chris LoGalbo and I currently attend law school full time Brooklyn Law in the evenings and I also work during the day at an investment firm. I do what i do because ever since I was a little kid I always wanted to be one of those trial lawyers that represented the people that no one else wanted to represent. So that's my dream and that's what I'm doing. I try to always eat healthy which is something I could do no matter how busy I am. but I guess that in order to be healthy and to really be fit, it takes time and time is something I don't really have at this point my life. You know, if I have to wake up at seven o'clock and go to work from seven to five and then go to class from six to nine I really could only go to the gym and try to exercise before work or after class. You know I try to do it when I can but I don't necessarily always have time for that so uh... I do try to always eat healthy but as far as exercise goes I do it when I can but it's not much. If I were to get sick and be out of work for a month or just be unable to go to class for a month It would definitely have an adverse effect on my career my studies. Starting with work you know, I work on an hourly basis week by week so I don't necessarily have a set schedule. If I get sick and I'm out of work that means that I'm out of a paycheck which ultimately means that I might have to find some type of ulterior way to pay the bills and make it through. as far as going to class goes if I can't go to class then I can't graduate on time. I can't take the Bar exam this summer. So really if I get sick I'd be in a pretty tough spot. You know, my finances are managed to this point where I need every day, I need every hour I also have to plan for certain periods of time where I'm not necessarily going to be able work like studying for the Bar exam or studying for final exams so if I were to be out of work for a month or unable to go in, I'd definitely be in a tough spot. Not having health insurance has definitely changed the way i think about things. I used to be an avid cyclist and when I first got dropped from a health insurance plan I don't even keep the bike in my apartment anymore because I know if I hop on the bike there's a chance I could fall-off and potentially a change I could break an arm and I don't know where the money to pay for those medical bills is going to come from. I mean even things as simple as walking down the street. I used to wait on the curb. Now I stand back a little bit and I don't cross the street before that walk light turns white so... It's definitely changed the way that I go about you know my work day to day. I stay away from people work who are sick. If I hear someone coughing on a train I get off and go to the next car. Those are definitely things that I didn't do when I had health insurance so it definitely changes the way you think. It makes you constantly be concerned because you have this thought in the back of your mind where even if you need something as simple as an antibiotic, not even breaking a bone or something as simple as having sinus infection That could really be a big burden on me without having health insurance. The doctor visit alone is hundreds of dollars and then the bill for the medicine whatever that may be so it's constantly a concern. It's always something I'm thinking about. Am I going to get sick? Am I going to get hurt? Definitely my fear without being covered. I haven't made the decision to get health insurance because really it's an expense issue. I'm trying to work as much as I possibly can to make ends meet at this point in my life. I'm I make too much to qualify for some type of state-funded program but I don't necessarily make enough for me to go out of pocket right now on a massive expense for a comprehensive plan. so uh... While time is an issue I would say ultimately my decision to not get health insurance at this point has been more of an expense concern. It's definitely upsetting not being covered. Like I said, there are certain parts of my life that I miss. I don't play football anymore. I don't even you know, run down the block anymore. I don't ride my bike anymore and I really miss those things. If I had coverage I'd definitely be more willing to enjoy those parts of my life again.