Host Donald Faison: You’re about to meet a woman who’s been through life’s ups and downs. She’s a single mom with two kids and a good job, but she’s seen the other side of life so now she’s ready for whatever comes her way. Meet Rochelle James, from my hometown, New York City.

Rochelle James Electrician, NYC

Rochelle James: We are at the South Ferry Train Station, which is underneath the Staten Island Ferry. What we’re doing is building a whole brand new station. I can point to several buildings across New York City and, and show my family and my friends that I worked there; that I put the lights in; and I’m very proud of that.

Host Donald Faison: Rochelle is an electrician with a union job that gives her many fringe benefits, most importantly health insurance.

Rochelle James: We have an excellent medical plan that covers my whole family My daughter’s eight years old. Thank God she’s healthy. But you know suppose she had asthma or suppose she had some kind of ailment that would have needed special care? Our union provides excellent health care. So I wouldn’t have to worry about it.

Host Donald Faison: Things weren’t always so good for Rochelle…

Rochelle James: I didn’t come from a poor background. But because of unfortunate circumstances, I did end up at the very bottom. When my, when my mom passed away I fell into like a depression state.

Host Donald Faison: At 22 with a new baby and a younger sister to support, Rochelle was soon facing financial disaster.

Rochelle James: I took dead-end jobs just to make a little bit of money to get ahead. I took dead-end jobs just to make a little bit of money to get ahead.

Host Donald Faison: Rochelle not only needed a higher paying job but one with good benefits. She found out about an innovative program called Non- Traditional Employment for Women, or N.E.W., which trains women to compete for skilled jobs in construction and other blue collar trades. After successfully completing the program she’s now a journeyman electrician…

Rochelle James: I am on my way to security. I won’t say that I’m fully secure yet. I hope to stay with this company, They’re making it happen, and build this wonderful relationship and make a lot of money. [Foreman calls to Rochelle , hands her a check, says “Keep up the good work”]

Rochelle James: Thank you. My paycheck. [Tom affirms] Um. I get paid, uh, fortyseven dollars an hour. So it’s a nice check at the end of the week. It, it feels great. I feel independent, financially. And, um, when there’s overtime it’s even better. So I enjoy working and I enjoy paydays. The union is Local Union Number Three, IBEW, which stands for “International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.” Maybe one day they’ll change it to “Brother and Sisterhood,” Our union provides excellent health care. Health care should be a necessity and not an option.

STATISTICS:

1 in 3 Young Adults Lack Health Insurance

Average cost of an uninsured hospital visit: $3,300

Beth Kobliner: You know, it's amazing to me, with all the talk in our country about health insurance, 20 million people, aged 18 to 34, still don't have it, It's a huge problem. Ideally you get it from your job, but if you don't have a job that gives you health insurance, see if there's some organization you can join to get health insurance… whatever it is, you want to make sure to have health insurance.

STREET FEED: Is health insurance important to you?

Nicole: I’m not extremely concerned about not being on the health plan because I’d like to get a job that actually has insurance benefits and a higher salary

Lizanne: I currently do not have health insurance, which is very sad. I did a few months ago, and I’m in the process of shopping because it’s very expensive.

Host Donald Faison: When you're young and healthy it’s hard to imagine that a serious illness or accident could bring you down. Health insurance isn't cheap, but the cost of not having it can be very expensive. If you're uninsured you can end up with thousands of dollars in medical bills. If you can't pay them you could literally lose everything. Insurance is complicated with all those applications and forms, but you can find a lot of expert help online. If you have dependents like Rochelle, you also need protection if something should happen to you.

Rochelle James: Life insurance is very important. My children are going to be depending on my same income if I die. I have three hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of insurance. It’s still a little low. But I figured as time goes on and the more money that I make, I can increase my insurance. So if anything happens to me now, in 20 years, my children would be fine.

Host Donald Faison: Rochelle is intent on helping other women become economically self-sufficient, so she serves as a mentor in a financial literacy class co-sponsored by Financial Women’s Association of New York—that she went through just a few years ago.

Ann Diamond Financial Counselor

Ann Diamond: Most of the women in this class are union employees; they will get their health insurance that way. They have come to be trained…so that will be looking at their cash flow; looking at their goal list; and figuring out how we can get them the help that they need. We listen in as Ann and Rochelle conduct the class… Needs vs. wants, saving money through cutting wants

Ann Diamond: The biggest reason people go bankrupt is because they had a health emergency and the bills were so overwhelming that there’s no way they could possibly pay them. The fact is we all need to have health insurance. You cannot just go from emergency to emergency and expect to get anywhere.

Host Donald Faison: But of course there’s a lot more to insurance than just medical coverage and life insurance.

Learn more about insurance options at pbs.org

Rochelle James: Renter’s insurance is the only thing that I don’t have that I’m really considering because, um, I’ve taken my hard-earned money and bought certain things for myself, certain toys, and if something happens to it, you know, how am I going to replace it? That’s thousands of dollars down the drain.

Beth Kobliner: It does make sense to get renters’ insurance, because it covers you for any damage that happens…And the truth is, it's not that expensive.

Renter’s Insurance:

Average annual cost $150-$300

Average Coverage: $35,000

Host Donald Faison: Rochelle has turned her life around and now she is serving as an inspiration to others. Her photo will be seen in the New York City subways encouraging other women to get the training they need to compete for skilled jobs.

Rochelle James: I realize now how it is out here; how hard it is to make a living and take care of a family…So whatever you have to do, get up. If you have to go and sell shoelaces just to make some money for that day to eat, do what you have to do. Don’t sit around and feeling sorry for yourself. That’s the one thing I didn’t do. I didn’t sit around and I didn’t beg. I went out and I worked every day until I got to this point.

RECAP: Get health insurance

Get life Insurance if you have dependents

Shop around for the best deal

Print Transcript