I am writing this note through tears. What do my tears represent and why do they come so easily? I shed them for people that I love living with cystic fibrosis. You may ask why now, of all times, would I be especially emotional?
My son, King, who is living with CF and was born in 2011 has, until now, lived in an age of scientific discovery and great advancement. Our family has functioned and moved forward on the hope that his daily treatments and medications, frequent healthcare visits, and hospitalizations would extend his life. I never imagined that our family would not be able to afford those advancements, his day-to-day care, or the luxury of hoping for further treatments and a possible cure.
As part of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, King and many others are protected, there are no prejudices against them, and insurance companies are not allowed to save a buck while their lives slip away.
In more technical terms and ones that lead me to write this letter:
1) No annual or lifetime limits on healthcare mean that there is no limit to the amount of care King will receive. If this were not in place, or were to be repealed, King would reach his limit on healthcare and for the rest of his life be required to pay 100 percent of his healthcare costs. What would that look like? Just one of the over 10 medications that King takes costs more than $6,500 a month.
2) No denying healthcare based on pre-existing conditions means that insurance companies can not take a prejudicial position toward covering King. It is mandatory that insurance companies cover people no matter their condition. If King were denied coverage based on CF we would be forced to pay for 100 percent of his healthcare costs. This wouldn’t be possible for us nor the millions of other families who love someone with a pre-existing condition. One in two Americans is considered to have a pre-existing condition. Pre-existing conditions include, but are not limited to: obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, depression, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
3) No increased cost for having a pre-existing condition means that our family can not be charged (even more) exorbitant rates due to King’s disease. For instance, if this portion is repealed, an insurance company could charge us a rate that would penalize us for King’s disease. It is likely that we would be priced out of insuring our child.
When King was born I made a promise to him that I would do everything in my power to save his life. I knew what we were up against and how hard we would need to fight to keep him well. The repeal without proper replacement of the Affordable Care Act is an obstacle that I will fight to the bitter end. My hope is that anyone reading this recognizes the urgency to support our family and the multitudes of people that would be negatively affected by a reckless and thoughtless repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Please share this story and your concern with your representatives. This is not a matter of Republican, Democrat, Independent or any other party---this is truly a matter of life and death.
Please call and write our Senators and Congresspeople. Affordable. Adequate. Accessible. Healthcare shouldn't be a luxury.
The next time you see a five-year-old little boy running and playing, imagine a mother there with him being forced to withhold healthcare that could save his life. Can you honestly imagine anything more heartbreaking than that? Your voice is important. Please use it to make a difference today.
With Great Hope,
Ginger Birnbaum
Lookout Mountain, Tn.