My name is Jessica Estevez, and I am a student at City College. Like many students, I depend on healthcare systems that are supposed to support me but instead, I’ve been dismissed, ignored, and burdened by a system that prioritizes cost over care.

I experienced severe back pain so intense that simple movements felt unbearable. When I sought medical help, my pain was brushed aside and explained away with a comment about my body rather than taken seriously. No testing, no treatment, no solutions. This kind of dismissal is common, especially for young women, and it discourages people from seeking care at all.

Mental healthcare has been no better. Appointments that start late, therapists who appear annoyed, and a lack of real engagement leave patients feeling unheard. Mental health support should be about care and connection and not checking boxes or rushing people through sessions.

Even basic health needs are neglected. At my school, menstrual products are often unavailable, and when they are, options are limited. Pads, which many people rely on, are rarely provided. Menstruation is not a choice, yet,  people are still forced to pay for it.

Beyond my own experience, I see how medical costs impact my family. My grandmother must pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for necessary medical care. While my mother helps as much as she can, the financial strain affects all of us. We’ve had to make impossible choices between basic necessities like food and electricity.

This is not an individual failure, it is a systemic one. Medical debt forces people to prioritize survival over health, even as the cost of living continues to rise. No one making $15 or $17 an hour should have to choose between paying rent and getting medical care. Healthcare should be accessible, affordable, and respectful. Until it is, students, families, and entire communities will continue to suffer. We deserve better and we need the New York Health Act to make it happen.