Republican Debt Ceiling Proposals Could See Neediest Americans Lose Benefits
Co-published with The Guardian. The GOP's attempt to add work requirements to safety net programs could harm families already struggling.
I’ve Been Plagued by Medical Debt for Years. Here’s What Happened When I Tried to Pay a $2 Medical Bill.
Co-published with Slate. Recent changes—and more coming in early 2023—could bring some relief to a very broken system.
My Mother Was Dying of COVID. Being Poor Made It So Much Worse.
Published in The Washington Post. I realized long ago that there are two separate and very different health-care systems in this country.
Like Bruce Willis, I Have Aphasia. Here’s What Life Is Like With This Incurable Disorder.
Published in HuffPost. It has gotten to the point where I often just avoid interactions requiring me to speak.
How Do You Get Dental Care When You Can’t Afford It?
Co-published with The New Yorker. At an annual dental fair in Philadelphia, Americans wait in line and hope to get through the door.
A Day After Giving Birth, I Was Asked Back to Work. America Needs Paid Family Leave.
Co-published with The Guardian. The US has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed countries. Yet Senator Joe Manchin struggles to understand why paid family leave is important.
I Bought My Kids Dinner — And Saw Firsthand How Overdraft Fees Punish the Poor
Co-published with the Washington Post. Low-income people suffer the consequences of overdraft fees more than those who are financially comfortable.
My Mom Can’t Afford Hearing Aids. The Pandemic Reminded Us Why She Needs Them.
Co-published with The Washington Post. Compounding medical crises essentially cut her off from the world.
Sesame Street Changed My Life. We Must Protect It So It Can Mold More Kids’ Lives.
Co-published with HuffPost. We need to support Sesame Street to ensure it is available to all children, or we will lose what we began to achieve a half-century ago.
I Grew Up Without a Fixed Address
Co-published with Curbed. Officially, entire chunks of my childhood don’t exist.
The Worst Part of Being Poor: Watching your Dog Die When You Can’t Afford to Help
Co-published with The Guardian and The Bark. Oreo and Mitzi were sick but since we couldn’t pay thousands of dollars immediately, we couldn’t get the care they needed.