By Pam Rosenblatt

When Somerville’s Christopher Poteet, a self employed artist was hit by a car in October he did not have the same initial thought he did when he was struck by a vehicle a few years ago. In
compliance with Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006, Poteet now has health insurance coverage so
he didn’t need to worry about going to the hospital and not being insured.

“One of the first things that happened when I was laying in the road on Broadway [was a different reaction then I had in the past]. The last time I got hit by a car was several years ago, the first thing I was thinking about was ‘Oh no, what if I have to go to the emergency room? It could cost me thousands of dollars. "

This time around Poteet realized he didn’t have to worry. “I was laying on the road in Magoun Square and one of the first things that went through my mind was, ‘If I need to go to the hospital, I’m covered. I can just go to Somerville Hospital now and just walk in. And it’s the peace of mind more than anything."

Like every other Massachusetts citizen 18 years and older, Poteet, owner of Somerville’s Rocket Science, a silk screening printing company, knew he was obligated by the new law to have health care insurance by November 15. The deadline for proof of purchase of Massachusetts health care insurance is Dec. 31. So he enrolled into Commonwealth Care. Next year he hopes to enroll in Commonwealth Choice, a newly developed state non-subsidized program.

Commonwealth Care is a state subsidized health care program for individuals and families with a gross income of 300 percent or lower of the Federal Poverty Level.  Commonwealth Care works on the basis of a person‚Äôs income level, said Kathleen Bitetti, executive director of the Artists Foundation, an artist run advocacy organization.

The new law requiring individuals to buy health insurance seems complicated to a lot of people, including artists who are usually self employed and will be required to cover themselves by tomorrow, said David Rice, director of Strategic Policy Concepts, a health policy consulting firm. “It’s because it’s something new. And, also, it’s not that different. And the analogy that we’ve used a lot to the artists is that it’s like auto insurance,” he said.

Many of the 10 percent of uninsured adults in Massachusetts are self employed trades people such as artists. Rice said the best way for these artists to access health insurance is the individual mandate.

“Hopefully, the artists in Somerville will [accept] the law."

While the negative side of the Health Care Reform Law is somewhat strong, Rice said he hopes artists will view the individual mandate as a way to access affordable options to healthcare.

“And so this will impact the artists in Somerville because if they can have access to health insurance at an affordable price, then their family will be better cared for, they’ll be better cared for, and maybe they won’t have to take a third job in order to pay for health insurance,” said Rice, “so they’ll be able to spend more of their time pursing their art.”

For Poteet health insurance has given him confidence that he can access medical care when he needs it most – like when he is injured in the streets of Somerville.

“I’m happy. I have an expense I didn’t have before, but I have a peace of mind now that I never had before. It’s worth far more than what I’m paying out of my pocket.”