Obamacare saved my life

@OFA
@OFA
Jul 27, 2017 · 3 min read

By Robin S., Chicago, Illinois

My name is Robin. I’m a United States Army, Military Intelligence Desert Storm Honorably Discharged Veteran, though I do not receive benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. I loved my job in the military. It was always what I dreamed of doing.

At 13 years of age, I stood at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., and I knew that serving my country was my calling. When I was discharged, it broke my heart, but I knew the choice I made was the right thing to do for my family, as we would not have been able to be together overseas.

When I became pregnant, my husband and I had to bear the cost of maternity care and childbirth out of pocket, as I was uninsurable. When I delivered my child, I had complications and we ended up with over $500,000 in hospital debt. This enormous debt followed us through our marriage and finally led us to divorce. From there, I went into medical bankruptcy.

As the years passed, I was uninsured for a total of 22 years. Then I remarried, and was covered under my husband’s insurance plan. In 2007, I was diagnosed with cancer. Our insurer wouldn’t cover the more expensive, less invasive chemotherapy treatment so I had to choose to undergo debilitating surgeries instead, as this is what the insurance would cover.

Shortly after my diagnosis with cancer, I was also diagnosed with severe autoimmune arthritis. My treatments started at $5,000 a month and soon increased to $14,000 a month. Insurance companies wanted us to pay for my medications upfront, and would never commit to reimbursements. I had to search for third-party organizations and foundations who would cover the costs, praying that we would qualify. Without these medications, I was immobile.

Let me tell you — pre-existing conditions used to follow you for life. Until, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed. Obamacare saved my life.

After the law was fully implemented, my medications were covered in full by insurance companies. I was able to cut through the red tape.

I fear, with the passing of a repeal, that I will once again become my pre-existing conditions, that I will be a high-risk pool patient. My insurance payment prior to the ACA was $1600 per month. My family’s monthly healthcare payment was higher than our monthly mortgage and household bills. After the ACA passed, I was covered at just $300 per month.

I fear I will become uninsurable. I fear I will not be able to walk or work. I fear I will have no quality of life. Further, I fear I will no longer be able to serve my country in the ways I have always wanted and envisioned when standing in front of the Vietnam Memorial as a young girl. Today, I am walking. I hope that next year I am still able to walk.

I ask that every senator who is to vote on this bill asks themselves, what oath did you take to this country? I took two oaths to this country. And as I stand here today I have kept those oaths. I stand here today to serve and protect to the best of my ability. I may not be in uniform anymore, but I will do it as a citizen. I hope every senator can say the same.


Originally published at www.ofa.us.

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