Today’s blog post is by guest blogger, Jess Craig
As a New Yorker who has her share of subway horror stories, (I’ve met NYC rats far less graceful than the legendary pizza rat), I’ve spent lots of time using ride sharing apps (Uber, Lyft, Juno…you name it, I’ve tried it). I’ve met some fascinating people along the way ranging from survivors of civil war to physicians & lawyers in their native home. One nearly universal finding (in my very unscientific survey) is that most if not all drivers I’ve met lack basic healthcare coverage. Many drivers claim that the cost of insurance, coupled with rising cost of living in NYC, preclude any ability to purchase affordable coverage. This is quite troubling as there’s evidence to suggest that sedentary workers have higher risks of developing type 2 diabetes, in tandem with a higher correlation of cardiac disease and orthopedic dysfunction (e.g. chronic low back pain).
These drivers are part of a growing “gig economy” which encompasses part-time/full-time independent contractors, who have the autonomy to chose their own work schedule in a pay-per-task model. Many tech startups rely heavily on these contract workers to scale their business and most would argue that providing healthcare coverage would not be feasible given the heavily regulated, costly nature of healthcare administration. Furthermore, finding consensus on who should be responsible for providing healthcare to citizens has proven to be as simple as wrangling cats. Emerging evidence is just beginning to explore the occupational health risks; therefore, I’d like to focus on how we can empower those who are on the front lines of the ride sharing, gig economy.
First up, know your numbers: Retail pharmacies like CVS & Walgreens market more reasonably priced glucose monitoring kits, with “more affordable” strips (my rant on the costs of diabetes supplies will be reserved for another day), digital blood pressure kits & and tape measures (to track your abdominal girth).
Find your nearest Federally Qualified Health Center: These community health centers can provide care if you have no insurance and/or ability to pay.
Get moving, whenever possible!
How we fix this broken healthcare system is a debate for another day, but hopefully these suggestions can help!
References:
Jess Craig PT, DPT is a physical therapist, clinical instructor and certified functional capacity evaluator, completing a Master’s in Diabetes Education & Management at Teachers College, Columbia University. Jess is based in NYC and is a lover of all things related to tech, cooking, beauty & Barbados.