Tameka lives in Marvell.  She is not on Medicaid.  She applied for Medicaid over a year ago and was not approved.  She could get AR Home if she was approved and use Medicaid to go to the doctor.  She really would like to have dental and vision coverage.   

Tameka has no minor children, but her grandson lives with her. Currently, she goes to the doctor every three months for her blood pressure. She takes blood pressure and anti-depressants. As far as her overall health is concerned, Tameka says it has been good, but she wishes that she had vision coverage. Tameka says she needs glasses but is unable to pay for them.  She was working before the pandemic and started working from home as a Vaccine Scheduler for Walgreens.  While working she did have health insurance.  She previously worked at a shoe factory, which is where she caught COVID. Tameka still suffers from lingering issues due to COVID.  Says after COVID she has had STREP Throat four times within this past year.  Feels that these are the residuals of COVID.   

Tameka wishes that poverty-stricken areas such as Marvell could have better insurance.  People in the area who have physical and mental health issues do not go to the doctor and mental health issues for African Americans are at an all-time high. There are not enough health resources in the area and providers at the local clinic should be more hands-on with developing plans of care.  She explains the clinic did not even have the resources she needed for her own mental health.  

Tameka says that Marvell needs more doctors and not just nurse practitioners.  She questions the competency of some of the doctors, because she feels that small towns get the short end of the stick. She doesn’t want to throw dirt on all of the providers here, but she doesn't believe some are passionate about their patients. Her overall sentiment is it could be better. 

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