Wonkblog: What happens when your pregnant sister-in-law is paralyzed in an accident -- and has no insurance.

MIT political scientist Andrea Campbell is known for her research on Social Security, Medicare, and other safety-net policies. Yet when Campbell's pregnant sister-in-law suffered a spinal cord injury, their family's on-the-ground experience was more bewildering and difficult than Campbell expected. Her new book describes these experiences. Below is an edited and condensed transcript of our conversation.