This is personal
This is not political. This is personal. You see these two faces? These are the faces behind the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). That’s right. My sweet kids Zoey and Holden are on Obamacare. And so are me and my husband. And I am scared shitless right now.
Years ago before Obamacare, we applied for health insurance. And guess how long it took us to get it? Six months. SIX. One hundred and eighty days of waiting to see if we would be eligible to get healthcare. And not for free. Not subsidized. We waited six months to see if a healthcare plan would accept us so we could pay full price for it.
We were relentlessly called by underwriters who seemed desperate to find some preexisting condition that would make us ineligible. They couldn’t. We were healthy. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for people who had preexisting conditions.
But now that there is Obamacare things are different. Don’t get me wrong, it’s far from perfect and has problems. I feel it every month when I have to put a huge amount on my credit card to pay for it. 150% of what I paid last year with only one plan choice. It sucks. But it’s something. And my family needs healthcare.
We have spoken to our insurance representative and if the government repeals Obamacare before they have a replacement, we might be screwed. No one knows exactly what will happen, but we might not have ANY healthcare. Nothing. For a day, for a week, for months.
If my kids break a bone, if they need stitches, if they get cancer, if regular things that happen to millions of children across the country happen to them, they won’t have health insurance. And neither will me or my husband. If I find a lump, or my hubby has chest pain, or we get into a car accident, we won’t be covered.
My husband thinks the officials who repeal it should have to live by the same rules themselves, and I agree. If you vote to repeal it without an immediate replacement, you and your families should have to go without health insurance too, for however long it takes you to come up with a new plan.
We’re NOT talking about the Affordable Care Act. We’re NOT talking about Obamacare. We’re NOT talking about politics. We’re talking about people. Real live people who need coverage. Every single day.
So to any senator or representative who’s listening, no matter which side of the aisle you sit on, I hope you will look at these faces before you do anything. If you want to repeal Obamacare, fine. As long as you replace it at the EXACT SAME MOMENT with something that’s going to cover my kids and the twenty million other faces who depend on it.
If you understand what is at stake here, please don’t forget to like and share this. Thank you.
There is absolutely no excuse for the horrible mess that constitutes health care in this country. We are the only industrialized country in the world that does not have national healthcare. No excuse. DEMAND it of your representatives!! And start working on a local level to see those entering the political system are smart enough to get things done! Eventually we’ll figure it out………….!
I am so sorry for so many in your country right now. I am so grateful for our healthcare system here in Australia. It is certainly not perfect , but it sure craps all over what you guys are dealing with. I sincerely hope your government can come up with a solution. Everyone should have the right to affordable healthcare!
I lived on the Gold Coast for a year. I started scuba diving which resulted in lots of ear infections. I was going so often and paying out of pocket that the Doctor stopped charging me….STOPPED CHARGING ME!!!!! Seriously opened my eyes to the insanity of this country of ours!!!!
I really hope congress pulls its head out of its collective a*s and doesn’t take healthcare away from your lovely children and the millions like them.
My husband is fortunate enough to have VA care. However, I have Obamacare. Its good for what I need. I DO NOT want to try to look for , let alone PAY for, a different insurance. I have diabeties, and will have a hard time finding insurance. I feel like you do,too.
Also, the right to be afforded breaks & privacy – NOT in a bathroom – to express milk for my baby was only guaranteed through provisions in the affordable care act. I NEEDED this to feed my daughter & also earn a living for her instead of applying for other benefits because I wouldn’t have been able to work full time while she needed milk. There are SO many aspects of the affordable care act that affect people that didn’t even get insurance directly through it… I beleive each & every person in our country has benefitted in some way or a member of their close family did. Too many just don’t even realize it.
A few examples:
Privacy & sufficient breaks for nursing mothers.
Smoking cessation options covered by insurance.
Restaurant chains with 20 locations or more must post calorie information on the menu.
The actual cost of your insurance appears on your tax forms now.
Abstinence education programs – yes, I said abstinance programs.
Probably more but those are the ones I recall at the moment.
Repeal means bye-bye to these too whether your insurance came from an ACA exchange or not. Tell me, can ANY of us honestly say that these policies did not benefite ANYONE that we care about personally?
I love that you wrote this and shared your story about ACA. And while it’s not to meant to be a political post, I can’t help but be distracted by the online ad on this post about tickets for the inauguration of our 45th President whose campaign was based on the repeal of the ACA!
Don’t the ads come up based on things that you’ve searched for? The ads I see are all for sites or news that I have recently searched for or visited. Cookies (or something like it) are what populate a lot of the ads we see, not necessarily sponsored on the site.
My add is for high speed internet and a mattress (because I’ve been googling for mattresses). So depends on the user…
Yep my ads are for adult onesie pajamas.
I got a purple onesie for Christmas! Pure heaven! Adult onesies are the shiz
It’s what you, the user, has been looking at because whatever you have searched is stored. Mine is Eye Buy Direct and Victoria’s Secret. If you don’t want to see political ads, you need to clear your cookies.
I may not be in the same position as you…we are lucky and have GREAT insurance through my husband’s employer. We were thrilled when they eliminated pre-existing conditions and took away lifetime limits…you see my daughter had a heart transplant and if they allow insurance companies to put those provisions back into their policies…our family and our daughters future will be severely impacted. It is something I worry about a lot…not only for our family (we can continue to pay the hospital $25 a month for the rest of our lives) but more for our daughter’s future…who will hire her? Will she ever get health insurance…life insurance is another matter altogether and she will probably never be eligible for that? Thank God she is healthy now, but what happens if she gets sick?
This, this, this. My daughter had a liver transplant. Repealing the ACA affects so many more people than just the uninsured.
YES!!!! I spent my childhood and early adulthood as a diabetic, then had a double transplant nearly a decade ago. I have wonderful insurance because I’m a teacher; however, if they put back lifetime limits, I will go broke and won’t ever be able to afford to retire. I’m very concerned, and people who know me don’t understand why I care since I’m well insured.
Yes! This! I had a stroke at 28! Without health insurance I’d be dead
I’m so sorry. ? As broken as our system is, I’m so grateful to be Canadian, where we don’t have to worry, and I’ll never take that for granted.
If I could help, I would. But I’ll definitely be sitting up here, cheering for you from the sidelines. Good luck Baby Sideburns. You have a beautiful family. ?
Thank you for sharing your story. I am disgusted by politicians who want to play with people’s lives just to score a cheap victory against rival politicians. Other countries figured this out ages ago, WTF is wrong with the United States?? I hope our so-called leaders get their heads out of their asses and do what’s right for all of us.
As the mom of a son who got lymphoma at 13 and is now 22 I have been in a panic since the election. My son is uninsurable without the pre-existing condition clause and kids being allowed on parents insurance until they are 26. Feeling lost.
I agree with your husband. But I also believe that those that passed the ACA should have had to live by that insurance option as well. For the first time in my adult life, I was without insurance for the 1st seven months of 2016. My employer discontinued the plans we had for years because the cost of providing insurance to temporary employees that matched what she provided her full time employees was through the roof. Her only option was to cancel it. She has provided two insurance options for our temporary employees, which we were eligible to participate in as well, but didn’t cover us like our previous insurance. I tried to sign my family of four up through the ACA website and found that I would be paying more than my rent payment and that was with my husband and son having $5000+ deductibles since they are very healthy! I did sign my daughter up and even though she is a full time college student with no job, she was not eligible for any kind of reduced rates. And she didn’t get to keep ANY of her 5 doctors. Fortunately, my husband started a job that provided insurance and we are all insured and my daughter gets to go back to her regular doctors that have seen her for years. I do agree that something needs to happen – and I hope that Pres-Elect Trump has a trick up his sleeve to repeal and fix the existing mess.
This broke my heart. I live in Canada where healthcare is available to all of us, for free. I truly believe that this should be a right, not a privilege.
It isn’t free, taxes pay for it, nothing is free someone has to pay, I agree Canada’s is a better option than what the US has for people who cant afford care, work for small companies that cant offer insurance or lose their job and have to pay thousands of dollars a month in COBRA.
No, not free. BUT, extremely affordable. And comprehensive. Covereds my dad’s entire quadruple bypass heart surgery. We didn’t have to worry about a single penny.
you are right.We dont get it 100% free.We do however go to the hospital have surgery..tests..ultrasounds…xrays and we never see a bill.I have never owed a dime for any sort of medical care…never.People often believe that we dont get proper care because of our healthcare system.That is not true.We do!Drs just simply cant over charge or schedule surgery that is not needed.they dont run every test known to man kind simply for the $.
My husband was diagnosed with Leukemia last year. We have BCBS through our employer. They paid out $237,000 last year. Even though we have insurance if he gets too sick to work and loses BCBS he will be unable to get other insurance because of pre-existing. If he doesn’t get sick and keeps BCBS he will reach the cap fast. I am with you on the “scared shitless” bench.
You don’t have to depend on the government for healthcare! My family uses Liberty Healthshare, a health sharing system, and we do not have to pay the “no insurance penalty fee” with our taxes. We pay a modest amount and have a $1500 deductible for our whole family. Even better, we can go to ANY doctor we choose and do not have to pick from a small pool of doctors. Definitely suggest looking into it.
It horrifies me that they can do that, and I pray that they don’t. How long would it take to repeal it? If you started looking for different health insurance now would it be in effect before they can get rid of obamacare? Being from the UK I don’t know a lot about the health system in the US, the little I do know scares me.
I think it needs fixing but Obamacare is so much better than nothing,I hope if they repeal they replace with better same day. Shame on the insurance companies for dropping insured if it is repealed, why couldnt they offer something like COBRA where you still can stay on your plan if you pay the same premiums until you can find something else? If it is an option look at what state you live in, some states have some type of Medicaid health insurance for all children under a certain age. Not all doctors take it but many do, it is at least something to get you covered n case something happens. Sometimes it is better coverage than what ACA offers. It will only cover your kids. I think Illinois calls it KidCare or All Kids.
As I’m writing this I’m sitting in a Canadian hospital with my teenage daughter who is waiting for an ultrasound. It’s 10 am and we arrived at emergency just before 9 am. She’s been seen by a nurse, a doctor and had blood work. She’s booked for an ultrasound at 11 am. The cost? We pay $154 per month for a family of 4 for our British Columbia medical services plan. Families who are low income can have this amount subsidized by out government. If Canada can offer this kind of care so can America. I’m so thankful we do not have to go through what you do south of the border.
And on the OTHER side of the coin, when Obamacare first came out, my brother LOST his insurance due to company deciding it wasn’t worth it to handle healthcare insurance anymore, and he had trouble getting through the Affordable Health Care phone lines since they weren’t working righte. When he was finally able to get through and got signed up it was the 8th of the month and insurance only starts at the beginning of the month. In the next two weeks, he had a had a massive heart attack and needed quadruple bypass surgery … all just a few days before his Obama insurance would kick in on the first of the month (Feb) so he ended up with a 200,000 plus hospital/dr bill he would not have had at all had he been able to keep his old insurance like they originally promised when this whole thing started. He’ll be paying it off the rest of his life. People have been getting screwed on both sides. I’ve always had insurance, but I now pay one and a half times more for my same coverage, and my deductible has doubled. So there’s that. Just saying, don’t let it all sound so one-sided because it is not.
Shouldn’t you be blaming your brother’s employer who simply didn’t want to “deal with” covering its employees? And what other option does your brother have if the ACA is repealed? Yes it isn’t perfect (health care in this country is so overpriced it’s shameful), but it’s better than nothing.
Well I was told today via marketplace, OBAMACARE, that for my family of 5, because we make more than a total GROSS of $110,000 we will get no subsidy and that it will cost us between $1500 – $1700 per month WITH a $5K deductible per person for a family with NO pre-existing conditions. So that seems like a good system to you?
And id $110,000 sounds like a lot of money to you, it is not in the DC Metro area where daycare costs for kids is $1500 per child and average home costs are $500,000.
That’s pretty much market rate for an employer that doesn’t subsidize costs — so not too bad considering the options outside of ACA. Example: If you are a CA teacher (unionized, and not likely making 110k in a very expensive area to live) and insuring your family of 4 for Kaiser HMO through CalPERS in a district that doesn’t kick in any extra money for you, that would be about what was taken out of your paycheck each month. Granted Kaiser is different than a PPO with deductible, but I don’t see your situation as awful here. IMO, it is certainly better than having no insurance (or denied insurance) and then having a 30k bill for an ER visit to fix a broken leg or a 500k bill for a heart attack and pacemaker surgery…
It’s pretty simple for people with pre-existing conditions (like me, breast cancer 5 years ago) We get left behind. We don’t get insurance. Can’t afford checkups, mammograms, medicines. We die.
Out of all the replies yours made me the saddest and considering how heartbreaking some of the replies are. I am so sorry you feel this way. I can’t understand how this is allowed to happen in this day and age.
I don’t even know where to start on this. I’m happy for you that you’ve been able to afford your ‘affordable’ care insurance. My quoted premiums were more than my rent and car payment combined, with high deductibles and coinsurance. Now the deductibles have tripled. If I had that kind of money, I’d pay for care out of pocket. There must be somebody that this bill has helped, but I’m not aware of a single one of them personally. Small businesses are firing employees to get out of paying the outrageous premiums, and still having to pay a ridiculous penalty. People with multiple medical conditions such as myself can’t afford to buy insurance, so we pray for a repeal and replace to finally get the healthcare we desperately need.
Wow I can’t believe the hoops you guys in America have to jump through to get a basic thing like healthcare! Sure we whinge about the length of time it can take to get through the public health system here if we need something more than a general practicioner appointment, but its FREE! We have the option of paying for private care which will get you seen faster and having insurance for it, but majority cant afford it or dont bother. I hope everything goes smoothly for you guys 🙁
I’m in New Zealand…
People keep saying the government can pay for it. Who do you think funds the government? We the people, so as a tax payer, I am paying for other peoples’ insurance. I am lucky that I have a good job that provides insurance (which since the premiums have gone up so much I have to also subsidize). You “the sky is falling” people need to get real. They won’t leave the people that have preexisting conditions out in the cold, that would be a political nightmare. But, as a 61 year old female, I should not have to pay for coverage for childhood dental, maternity, etc. coverage either, as I am now forced to do under Obamacare.
Even without the ACA, you pay for coverage of others. Those premiums that your job pays? Even if a person doesn’t use their insurance once throughout an entire year, those premiums are paid. That money is used by the insurance to pay for other people’s high medical costs. Premiums go up as more ill/injured people seek the care they need. It’s no secret that the rates of cancer (and other noninfectious and infectious diseases) in this country are increasing (not all are increasing, but plenty are, and they tend to be expensive ones). Their care has to come from somewhere and has to be paid somehow.
My premiums used to be covered 100% by my employer as well. Unfortunately, we had to start subsidizing our premiums even before the ACA was put into place, as the rates were skyrocketing already.
Yes, the current ACA is broken. Yes, we need something to fix it. Repealing something before a fix is in place? Not the right way to do it.
We need to do away with it. I do believe we need a replacement before it’s done away with though for those who do rely on it. But there are more cons then pros. I’ve done countless research and written several articles. The more I get into it, the madder I get. Plus, there is nothing affordable about it. It would cost my healthy family of 4 1300 a month for crappy at best insurance. One plan to choose from. 1. 1300 dollars. That’s not affordable. We don’t qualify for a tax credit. We can’t afford 1300 a month. That’s more than my mortgage, more than double my mortgage to be exact.
I think people misunderstand the pre-existing clause. Pre-existing conditions are covered as long as you don’t have a lapse in insurance coverage. This is one main reason it would be detrimental to those losing ACA coverage, without an immediate replacement. If you have no lapse in coverage, your pre-existing conditions are covered.
Before the ACA, we had independent coverage from BCBSNC for years. I applied and was approved online in less than a week, for less than I was quoted online, I might add. After ACA, we could no longer afford our coverage because it jumped to $1100 a month (from $478). So yeah, I know all about the terror of no health insurance because I lived it for a year. When they dumped millions of sick people into the system and required Anthem to cover them, the rest of us had to bear that burden, or not, in our case, because we simply could not afford it. I know the insurance companies are corrupt, but the ACA tied our hands when they REQUIRED we buy coverage no matter the cost. It’s time to fix the problem of skyrocketing health care costs and what drives that (over regulation), then we wouldn’t be terrified of getting sick.
I highly suggest you write AND call your state senator and representatives about your position. Their offices need these stories.
My family is in the same boat!! Self employed husband, I’m a stay at home mom to a 4 and 6 year old. Our oldest also has seizure disorder. I’m scared shitless. I’ve called my senators and reps. Can’t believe they would do this to us.
I can’t imagine how scared you must feel.
We visited the US last year and my husband fell ill, resulting in a 4 day hospital stay. The difference in care he received there, as opposed to how he would have been treated at home was mind boggling.
We’re positive that if the same thing had happened at home he would have been discharged the same day, overnight stay at the most. He was given so many unnecessary tests ect. The staff were all lovely, but we did see more of the lady chasing up the money more than any doctor or nurse!
At the end we were presented with a $25,000 bill ? (Luckily covered by our travel insurance)
At home (Australia) we would have paid $0 for the same stay.
I have two kids. I didn’t pay a cent during either of my pregnancies, and I had complications requiring weekly hospital visits, extra ultrasounds and numerous hospital stays too.
We’ve had a few childhood injuries (a burn, a broken arm, a neck injury) never paid a cent for those either.
We do pay a yearly fee for ambulance cover, around $70 per year.
Good luck xx
Why do people keep saying that this stuff is not political? Of course it’s political. The personal IS often political. Enough of trying to redefine what politics is and then refusing to participate in it, that is exactly how we got into this mess. If you want your country run right you’ll have to help do it yourself. So will everyone else. So will I.
I’m old enough to serve as President. You may be old enough to serve in Congress, if not the Oval Office. We are definitely both old enough to serve in local politics. And the Dems really need more people running, especially in districts with multi-term incumbent Republicans.
If you can’t run because you were a little too crazy in your 20s or you’ve got a questionable internet history or you have an alternative lifestyle that you know the press would tear apart, then there are other things you can do. Don’t just sit back and go “serve me, political slaves!” and then be mad when they don’t do what you want them to do.
Please don’t take this as a flame. See it as more of a wake-up call.
We all deserve health insurance. With pre-existing conditions. We should make the Senate and House lose their insurance that we pay for until they restore ACA completely and they should only get ACA too unless the rest of us get the same insurance that the House and Senate get.
Reading these comments are devastating. Here in the the U.K. healthcare is free, for everyone. Paid for by National Insurance payments, so small you don’t notice them, compared to what you pay in the US. I have a lot of health issues, and until recently I was classed as terminal. Now I’m still going to die, just not as quickly as I was (Please God) I take over 70 tablets a day, I’m on 2 different morphines and I don’t pay a penny for any of my prescriptions, not even the trial drug that has saved/vastly prolonged my life (again Please God). For many years I’ve been an advocate for Childhood Cancer, not just here in the U.K. but worldwide, many Children are in the US. It is heartbreaking hearing that some children can’t get prescriptions they desperately need because their parents can’t afford the co-pays. Or when parents lose their child and have to declare medical bankruptcy. It outrages me. Then reading the article and reading all of your comments literally broke me. I want you all to come to the UK for healthcare. Our NHS may not be the best but it’s free. When Obama first talked about his plans for affordable healthcare I thought he was going to make something along the lines of our NHS. You see he was here in the U.K. touring our hospitals etc when he first talked about healthcare everyone could afford in the US. I’ve often thought that the US should have a health system like ours. Instead of paying thousands every month, everyone pays $100 or less a month. It’s worked here in the U.K. for so long now that most people don’t remember having to pay for healthcare. I agree the US is so much bigger then the UK, but that would be an advantage. Surely everyone would prefer to pay $100 – $200 a month and get free healthcare than pay thousands every month and still pay out for co-pays and things not covered by insurance? I agree the healthcare may be better than ours I The UK but what’s the point if no one can afford it? I pray that the healthcare in the US is completely overhauled and that everyone is able to afford healthcare and payments drop dramatically for everyone so everyone has affordable healthcare at the very least.
I am confused on the part you missed on the repeal and replace that Trump is talking about. He has stated time and time again that parts of Obamacare will remain. One of those items that will remain is the pre-existing conditions clause. Meaning that part of Obamacare will remain. Please check your information before posting items like this. This is irresponsible and careless to post information that has no truth.
Move to Canada and you will not have to worry about healthcare 🙂
I’m a dentist and my husband owns a bicycle shop. Because of Obamacare we can go on a Website and easily get health insurance. You’re right! It does cost a fortune, especially in NY, but people don’t understand how difficult it is to get health insurance for you and your children if you are self-employed. My 3 year old is an asthmatic. We are constantly at the doctor and the ER. Our bills would be piling up.
I am very worried about what Friday is going to bring. Many of my doctor friends and patients are too. You are not alone. This country needs to wake up and realize what might be happening.
I’m hoping Congress will make intelligent decisions.
IN 2014, after more than 25 years of not being unemployed (my whole working life), I lost my job. It was right as the ACA kicked in. My family had to have coverage. Nothing serious, but we had issues that needed care. I got a plan that didn’t bankrupt us. It took me a year to find work, and last year I had to pay back a bunch of subsidies I didn’t need after getting hired and landing a few big freelance jobs in Q4. But it was a far cry better than the $1500 a month for Cobra.
Christie Linert, I suggest you not take Trump’s word for it. Just a little friendly advice.
No coverage BECAUSE my 11 yr old son is dying of several lung diseases a heart disease and a newly found brain tumor. All out of pocket. No one will cover him aside from plans with premiums so high they are more than we make a month.
Here’s my baby 🙁
https://www.gofundme.com/mason-ensors-hospital-help
So you think that the taxpayers should be responsible for your kid’s health care? Well if I, as a taxpayer, have to be responsible for your kid’s health care, then I think that they should be living with me. Therefore, I can start adoption procedures and relieve you of the burden you apparently see them as being. It’s a win-win; we’ll all be much happier, your (my) kids will be much better off, and we can safely get rid of the unaffordable ACA.
Douglas, how ridiculous. Let’s take your words and rework them, shall we? “So you think the taxpayers should be responsible for building and maintaining roads near YOUR house? Well, if I as a taxpayer have to be responsible for roads near YOUR house, then I think you should start living with me, so I can remove you from the burden of paying for your own roads.” I hope you realize how idiotic you sound. Healthcare is something that everyone needs. So are roads. So is police protection.
What a vile human being you are, Douglas. I pray no one in your family ever has a serious and/or fatal disease. It is wrong that the richest nation in the world does not have affordable healthcare for all, especially children.
Umm… health insurance isn’t health care. Why are you putting your premiums on a credit card? You clearly can’t afford them. If you have to go to the doctor, just pay the doctor for your services. There is zero logic in your screed. Zero.
Also, way to use your children (at an age where they can’t possibly consent) in a public forum to promote your baseless, hysterical fears. Gross.
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It’s so frustrating that the Senate would vote to repeal Obamacare and leave millions without coverage, benefiting only the rich.
I do have a recommendation for an edit to your blog… Apparently a lot of people were turned off by the word “Obamacare,” particularly if they didn’t like President Obama. Apparently in Kentucky, they even told people that the plans they were selling weren’t part of Obamacare, so people didn’t even know that the affordable care act is what gave them access to insurance! So you might want to make it clear: your kids aren’t on Obamacare. There is no Obamacare “plan.” Obamacare Wirly regulates the insurance industry. You were able to access private health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act.
I don’t know you or your family, and I only learned about you through a friend’s post on facebook, but I want you to know that I called my Senators and my Congressional Representative today just for you, and the MILLIONS of families just like yours and all the children in this nation who deserve insurance. Stay strong mama…if we all voice our concerns, we have to prevail.
I should have known better than to read the comments. There’s nothing like annoying ragers to raise the blood pressure. And I find I can’t help but wonder if the ugly angry folks have ever faced being without insurance for any period of time at all.
So many people are scared for their children, their spouses, themselves. We’ll all need to stand together through this. I’m linking to your post on riddlefromthemiddle.com this Friday.
All of the changes are frustrating, but I recall how many people ranted and complained at how long it took for people to figure out the ACA when it was first rolled out. Our ACA was actually the same price as our private health insurance was prior to ACA. We switched to Medishare because it is affordable, is built around our core beliefs (brothers and sisters helping each other pay bills in times of need) and is what insurance was in the very beginning years and years before it became such a money making monopoly that causes people to live out of fear vs seeking the treatment they need.
I am in total agreement with many of you that we need to speak up, speak loudly, and speak persistently about this issue. Its not enough to fb or tweet a rant, you need to show those whom are depending on your votes that you want to be heard:
1. Call, write, and email your representatives. Show up at their local offices. Be clear, concise, and convincing.
2. Find others who agree with you and protest. Join in one of the scores of gatherings on Saturday and press that health care is a women’s right, a family right, a human right.
3. Persist. Democracy is messy, and long, and frustrating, but the best system we have. Use all your tools, and I will too, and so will our neighbors in other states.
We all want our kids to be safe and healthy, and when they are not, we want to be able to fix that. Which I think, at least, we can all agree on, yes?
The Affordable Care Act was very terribly written. I love that they got rid of the preexisting condition issue and I’m glad those that need subsidies to afford the insurance can get them. However the mandate was an awful idea bc insurance became unaffordable; you cannot tell me I have to carry it but then raise the rates beyond my means. The way they calculate affordability for a subsidy is also very odd.. it is only based on the person working, not the entire family. I support a family of 5 at a job that, thankfully, pays 75% of my premium. They don’t pay any of the family premium (and nor should they be expected to) and that is an additional $1,000 a month. On a terrible plan.. a plan that frankly if I had to use it, I’d go bankrupt anyway. So why should I carry insurance that I can’t afford to pay the premiums on or use the benefits of? Why can’t my family get a subsidy to help pay for their unaffordable insurance? I’m stuck in the gray area that was overlooked when writing the ACA. I do hope that it gets repealed, but I most certainly hope there is a better plan in place immediately. And gees Louise, if someone could regulate what hospitals and doctors charge, that would be amaze-b***s!
The government will not fix the Healthcare system. They have never had to use it. They were born with silver spoons and can afford to pay cash for everything. The first thing to fixing Healthcare is to get rid of Healthcare profiteering. Removing the 60% of my health insurance premiums that go to lining some fat cat’s pocket would go a LONG way to making health insurance truly affordable.
I hope someone does listen and good sense prevails. How could anyone resist those little faces?
X
How about you and/or your husband get a REAL job and then you will have benefits. That’s what most of us do to take care of our family. We work jobs that take care of business.