Lea Powdar

With six kids and a husband, Lea Powdar has plenty to worry about. Her job as a home attendant with Staten Island’s Stella Orton agency relieves her of at least one concern: healthcare coverage for herself and her family.

Like many families, Powdar’s has its share of bumps and bruises. They also contend with also more serious health conditions.

“I’m asthmatic and my son, Sherwin, is asthmatic. My son, Kurtis, has a heart murmur. He was born with it. His chest hurts him and he has trouble breathing. When that happens, I take him to the doctor because I want make sure that everything is ok,” says Powdar. “Plus, all my kids go for regular check ups, so it’s very important for us to have those benefits.”

Powdar says she and husband, Kestar Anthony, Sr., a construction worker, are devastated by the possibility of losing their family’s healthcare coverage.    They cannot afford to pay for healthcare coverage for their entire family should Powdar lose family health benefits. 

“My health coverage helps us move forward,” she says  “It’s so unfair that they would just cut us off. It’s unbelievable to know that homecare workers have to go through this.”