I am going to tell you a very personal story. My story. It explains why I defend the Affordable Care Act against all attacks. It isn't because I am an ideologue. I'm not a socialist. I am not ignorant, or a "low information." I believe in the ACA because it is a good piece of legislation -- one we worked very hard to pass, and one which has now been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. And the main reason I will continue to work to make this law successful is because I am the mother of a child with a pre-existing condition.
My daughter has had five surgeries, starting when she was five-years-old and I discovered a mole behind her ear had dramatically increased in size and dramatically changed in shape. The mole was really a skin lesion and of enough concern that her dermatologist sent us immediately to CHOP, to one of only three Pediatric dermatological surgeons in Pennsylvania. Within two weeks, she was being operated on. That first surgery removed three lesions and two came back pre-cancerous.
From that day until the day we passed the ACA, my daughter was in danger of losing or being denied health insurance. She was now a pre-existing condition to the insurance industry. She was a liability and a potential huge expense item.
Last year when the ACA started going into effect, I had one less worry. No longer was my daughter facing a potential death sentence by being denied care and coverage. After five surgeries and 12 years of annual checkups, she could now never be denied coverage, nor could her coverage be dropped or limited. Suddenly, she was protected.
And I'll tell you why: It is because Obama cares.
Even without the other powerful provisions that protect us, this one provision is protecting millions of children. But the ACA does so much more. With the first phase, our premium dropped from $770 to $730. This year after my switch via the marketplace to an "ACA" policy my premium dropped to $530 for the same exact policy -- same doctors, same coverage. No, that is wrong. Actually, the coverage is different. It now includes dental for my daughter and mental health services for us both.
Yes, ACA is good for us, and it might be good for you, too.
Visit www.healthcare.gov to find out.