TakeCHARGE: How Turning 18 Changed My Healthcare Forever
By Abby Briggs
Medically reviewed by Patricia Salber MD, MBA (@docweighsin)
A college student describes how the TakeCHARGE 5 Steps program helped her when she turned 18 and healthcare changed for her forever.
When I turned 18, I was looking forward to moving away for college, being able to vote, and maybe purchasing a lottery ticket one day or getting a tattoo. What I didn’t know was I was walking into so much more. For all that I gained with becoming a legal adult. I lost some things too, specifically when it came to my healthcare. In fact, turning 18 changed my healthcare forever.
I visited my pediatrician for the last time over the summer in 2018. It was bittersweet and scary, realizing I would be moving on to another stage in my life. But as August approached and I started to pack and plan for college, the thought of a new doctor’s office left my mind.
In fact, it stayed out of my mind for over a year until this past winter break when I needed to visit a physician. Since I was at home, I went to an office my mom recommended.
My first visit with a doctor since turning 18
It was an awkward experience. Even with the pages and pages of paperwork, I filled out in the…
