This may be the only place I refrain from talking about politics, which my friends and family can vouch for as most of them are very close to unfriending me on Facebook due to my seemingly never ending post on Facebook about the current political happenings. One reason I am taking to my blog right now is because my blog is all about my health and my health is now being effected by politics. Both in the most immediate sense of how stressed I am and the toll it has taken on my body (PT the day after the election was rough to put it mildly) and the more theoretical looming idea of the possibility of the Affordable Care Act being repealed.
There are so many ways I have benefited from the ACA. Quite honestly it is the reason I currently have health insurance and as an extension of that, healthcare. Fist off my parents are self employed therefore we purchased our health insurance off the exchange (and this year I will have my own exchange plan so I have one in PA). Next off this semester due to a combination of health reasons and the fact I was ahead credit wise I choose to go to school part time. Prior to the ACA I would have been kicked off my parent's insurance due to being a part time student leaving me in a catch 22; being too sick to work or go to school so I can't get insurance, and not having insurance would mean I couldn't get the healthcare I need to get healthy enough to go to school/work and qualify for insurance.
Another big issue for me is pre-existing conditions. Before ACA if I were to loose health insurance and did not get new coverage within 90 days I would basically never be able to get my insurance company to pay for anything related to an already established diagnosis again. Basically I could pay for insurance but they would only cover preventive care for me.
Many people have told me to wait to see what Trump actually does as president before worrying or getting upset or that it is only four years. Here is the thing though, to be able to say and do that is a privilege. To not be worried is a privilege that minorities in this country do not currently have, that members of the LGBT community don't currently have, that disabled and chronically ill people don't currently have. I cannot just wait to see if he actually appeals the ACA or not because then it will be too late. I do not have the ability to wait 4 years while not having health insurance.
There are so many ways I have benefited from the ACA. Quite honestly it is the reason I currently have health insurance and as an extension of that, healthcare. Fist off my parents are self employed therefore we purchased our health insurance off the exchange (and this year I will have my own exchange plan so I have one in PA). Next off this semester due to a combination of health reasons and the fact I was ahead credit wise I choose to go to school part time. Prior to the ACA I would have been kicked off my parent's insurance due to being a part time student leaving me in a catch 22; being too sick to work or go to school so I can't get insurance, and not having insurance would mean I couldn't get the healthcare I need to get healthy enough to go to school/work and qualify for insurance.
Another big issue for me is pre-existing conditions. Before ACA if I were to loose health insurance and did not get new coverage within 90 days I would basically never be able to get my insurance company to pay for anything related to an already established diagnosis again. Basically I could pay for insurance but they would only cover preventive care for me.
Many people have told me to wait to see what Trump actually does as president before worrying or getting upset or that it is only four years. Here is the thing though, to be able to say and do that is a privilege. To not be worried is a privilege that minorities in this country do not currently have, that members of the LGBT community don't currently have, that disabled and chronically ill people don't currently have. I cannot just wait to see if he actually appeals the ACA or not because then it will be too late. I do not have the ability to wait 4 years while not having health insurance.
Comments
Post a Comment