That 'Free' gets to be very expensive - for all who pay taxes.
Now, the Leftist and his followers, the "Progressives", think this is a GOOD thing. After all, why shouldn't those with money pay for the 'Health Care' of those who don't have a well-paying job?
Note I wrote "well-paying job". That's because those who are Officially Poor often have more disposable income than those who work for their own support. Don't believe that? Check this out.
Are there actual Poor People? Of course. But they are NOT in the majority of those classified as poor. Most of the "Poor" are people whose income from working is low, that's true. But, rather than encourage those people to improve their situation, the Poverty Pimps (those well-meaning and usually Left-leaning social workers and community workers who live off government support for their work) work quite energetically at supplementing their clients' income with support payments.
Support payments are given for being Official Poor. They rise if the OP STAYS poor. They will be cut off if that person successfully improves their situation (such as getting a better job, which may not have benefits or even that much extra money). The entire purpose of the system is to keep OPs from changing their lives for the better. They are financially penalized if they do.
There are those who say "No one LIKES being poor!". While it's true that, given unlimited alternatives, almost all would prefer having more money.
The thing is, in America, being Officially Poor is 'comfortable enough'. They don't make so much money they lose their entitlement to feel downtrodden and put-upon, just enough that the Pinch of Poverty - that spur that drives people to rise early, work hard, and Get the Hell out of Da' Hood - is a minor annoyance, not an acute ache.
Now, a suggestion for the future:
Take the time - NOW - to shore up your possessions, home, and body. At this time, it is cheaper, and easier, to make those repairs, then it will be in another year or two. Plus, at today's interest rates, you can often negotiate a "same as cash" deal with providers for a limited number of months without paying interest. That, alone, will look like a genius move when the interest rates start climbing - and they WILL start climbing.
Get your teeth fixed, any Lasix or other needed surgery, and don't forget to work on general fitness and trimming down. You'll never regret getting your body in the best shape it can be.
As for a house, look outside - FAR outside of a city. Put as much as you can down, to get a good interest rate. But, leave some cash in reserve to get the best deal on repairs and upgrades. Invest in a security setup - but, NOT the kind that has subscription monitoring. YOU want to be the one in charge of your own defense.
Buy extra shelf-stable food on sale, and store it safely. Lay in supplies of rechargeable batteries, solar panels, and a generator (and the gas to run it). Have alternative ways to weatherize your home/provide power. That includes heating water for showering/sanitation. And, have an alternative way to wash clothing, should power go out.
Create an 'emergency pharmacy' - common drugs, OTCs, and first aid supplies. Talk to your doctor, and see if you can get a prescription for a 90-day supply of needed meds to keep in reserve (rotating them as you get new meds). Check with GoodRX to see if you can pay for the meds yourself, with the discount, without going through your prescription drug plan. Most of them frown on stockpiling, and will NOT pay for it.
The idea is to be self-sufficient enough, to ride out temporary disruptions to the supply chain. I don't anticipate long-term disruptions (Americans are remarkably ingenious about getting around restrictions, and our truckers have a long tradition of ignoring inconvenient laws). The point is to keep a sudden critical need from forcing you to give up your rights as a citizen.
