I have spent several days of dread since hearing of actions to repeal the Affordable Care Act (A.C.A.). I have attempted to write a letter several times and now I may be calm enough to do so.
I need the protections the A.C.A. provides:
Preexisting conditions
In 1998 I quit working to stay home with my newborn and preschool child. I had been the adult with employer-based insurance. We looked for other coverage while on COBRA. The best plan our insurance broker found was a plan which would cover our family of four for $3000 per month. My husband and I had minor preexisting conditions. That was enough to make our premium so high. I was lucky enough to be able to get group coverage for “only” $900 per month through my professional association. At $3000 per month we were considering having no coverage as it didn’t seem to make much sense. And we still had to pay for those preexisting conditions regardless of premium cost.Affordability
Individual insurance has always been expensive. People who complain most about insurance costs, have had the luxury of coverage through their job. They have no idea of the total cost of their insurance coverage. They only know how much they pay through their paycheck. I was a psychiatrist in private practice. My health insurance policy (through the medical association) was about $1500 per month for my family of four in 2013. My deductible was $7000 per year. I could not afford to provide my one or two office staff with health insurance. In my experience employer based insurance is a drain on private businesses. I envied businesses in countries which had universal coverage. This was because I would have liked to have coverage for my employees.
Chronic Illness
In 2014 I had to quit working due to worsening asthma. Thanks to the A.C.A. I have been able to maintain continuous coverage. I have not had waiting periods for treatment of my life-threatening preexisting condition. This is especially fortunate since the costs for my medications out of pocket would total over $40,000 per year. If health insurance rules change then I, and many others, will be uninsurable. This could flood the emergency rooms and disability rolls, not to mention the morgues.
In conclusion I would like to add that since my retirement two years ago, my health has improved. This year I have high hopes of being able to work in some capacity on a part time basis. This means that I can contribute more to the country that I love. And that is thanks to the A.C.A. Please allow me to be a productive citizen and to continue to breathe free in every sense. Support universal health coverage.
Thanks for your attention,
Catherine Munson, MD
Psychiatrist, retired
