Ask us how we really feel
When it comes to the problems faced by people with pre-existing conditions, there is no solution in the four GOP “replacement” plans that holds a candle to Obamacare. Repealing Obamacare is the absolute worst thing the GOP Congress can do!
How will repeal hurt people?
Here are just a few of the ways repealing Obamacare will hurt everybody, but especially people with pre-existing conditions.
- Health insurance companies will refuse to insure you if you’re sick, because you are
a money-pit.
- They will go back to charging you more because you are a woman, a pre-existing condition if there ever was one.
- They will cancel your insurance policy when you get sick, right when you need it most.
- They will go back to selling policies that leave out essential benefits and/or crappy fixed indemnity plans. (Hope you’re good at reading fine print.)
- They will go back to selling “junk” insurance – big profits for them, too bad for you.
- They will impose annual or lifetime benefits on care, so you don’t cost them too much money.
- They will deny you care to keep more of your premium dollars for their multi-million dollar executive salaries and big shareholder dividends.
- And if you have that job that gives you health insurance, you better hold on to it for dear life. Yes, for dear life, because you won’t have the Exchanges to fall back on anymore.
How repeal will hurt you, personally
Click here for an AMAZING TOOL developed by the Washington Post (1/17/17) to find out how you will be impacted depending on which of the four GOP healthcare plans is implemented. Just put in your age and your income, and it gives you an idea of what you may be facing.
Extreme, disruptive, irresponsible
It’s not that we think Obamacare is perfect, we don’t. But Terri Carlson, of “Terri Talks Healthcare,” makes an excellent point when she says, “Obamacare is better than I-Don’t-Care.”
Obamacare represents a huge step forward in healthcare reform. Frankly, we feel that repealing it is short sighted, extreme and very disruptive.
Repeal will be a disaster for millions of us
Just looking at the pre-existing condition community, Kaiser Family Foundation conservatively estimates that about 52 million people, or 27% of the American population, depending on how you define “declinable pre-existing condition.” If you define it like the health insurance companies used to, it’s closer to 50%.
How will people cope?
It all depends.
- Some will try to get back into high-risk pools, if they can afford it, and also survive the waiting lists. (This is not easy to do, check out our article on high-risk pools and specifically, California’s recently abolished high-risk pool called MRMIP).
Some will try to get a job that includes health insurance and if they do, they’ll hunker down for dear life (called job lock) even as employer plans go back to having annual and lifetime benefit maximums.
- Others will try to marry someone who has health insurance through their job, a reality Terri Carlson, our “accidental activist”, brought to the world’s attention.
- Some will be unable to get insurance at all, and will be forced to spend down their assets until they are destitute. Then, assuming they live long enough, they will qualify for Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California).
- And many people will simply throw in the towel and give up, to save their families money. Don’t kid yourself, you know this happens.
“Tried & Failed” is not progress
Progress in healthcare reform means giving Americans high-quality, comprehensive care that everybody can afford. Progress is Obamacare, leading to Medicare for All.
But that’s not what the GOP Congress has in mind. They want to take us back to “tried-and-failed” solutions that didn’t work before and won’t work ever. They’re right that Obamacare should not be our final destination, but they’re way off base when it comes to which way we should go.
We should have two goals – to preserve and build on Obamacare, and work toward Medicare for All!
If you want California to lead the nation with our own Medicare for All system, take action! Join us on Twitter and Facebook, and
Sign our Open Letter to Governor Brown and Our Legislative Leaders!
Dear Governor Brown, Senate President Pro Tem DeLeón and Assembly Speaker Rendon:
California families depend on Medicare, Medi-Cal and Obamacare for our very lives.
Protect these programs, but more.
Give us healthcare that covers everybody for everything for life!