Share Your Story: Thanks to the Health Care Law...
Thanks to the health care law...
Share your story and picture on our story blog and read the stories of other Americans who are benefitting from the health care law.
- a mother who is diagnosed with breast cancer can focus on her treatment and not worry about whether her insurance company will drop her because she got sick;
- a young boy who has type 1 diabetes won't have trouble getting health care coverage because of a pre-existing condition or face a lifetime cap on coverage;
- a young woman can go to her gynecologist and get a pap smear without a referral and without paying a co-pay.
These are only some of the ways the health care law is helping women and their families. Share your story and picture on our story blog and read the stories of other Americans who are benefitting from the health care law. Also, watch our blog to see if your story is highlighted.
Want to share your story on Twitter? Tweet @nwlc.
Please note: The views expressed in the stories below are those of the authors themselves and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the National Women's Law Center. All statements of fact in these stories have been provided by the individual authors, and the National Women's Law Center cannot and does not vouch for their accuracy. The Center will compile the stories and may use them, in whole or in part, in our advocacy efforts. The Center also reserves the rights to delete posts inappropriate and unrelated materials to the health care story blog.
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Your Stories
Lisa Reppell
Washington, DC, Intern
Thanks to the health care law I was able to think big and follow my heart to Washington DC. As someone in my early 20s, this is the time in my life to take risks to reach high in pursuit of the career I want to make for myself. For me -- and many others -- this involves paying my dues in unpaid or underpaid capacities while working wage jobs on the side. Thank you President Obama and the Affordable Care Act for allowing me to work hard, pursue my dreams... and not have to worry about how I am going to get health care coverage. (Oh yeah, and thank you mom and dad for keeping me on your plan!)
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Marjorie Morales
New Rochelle, NY, retired
I have benefitted from President Obama's health care despite the fact that I always had health insurance through my job and pension benefits. I have 8 chronic illnesses. When I was working and not covered by medicare, I had many co-payments and I was worried about this when I retired. Because of these medical issues I retired two years early -and had to wait for medicare. It was very hard for me to pay all the co-payments, plus my prescription plan co-payments which I still have to pay. Today those are my only co-payments and it makes a difference. It is still difficult to manage as I have dentist and eye care to pay for but without the healthcare, It would be impossible. I worry that medicare could be reduced or ended. I would probably not be able to get the care I need to survive.
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James Feliccia
Philadelphia, PA, Computer Programmer
My COBRA had run out. I was without insurance paying my medical bills. I had to put off costly procedures.Due to a few pre-existing conditions I was denied all but 700.00 month major medical.I found with some effort that Pennsylvania had a plan for folks like me called PA Fair care. I had to wait 6 months but was finally able to get into a modest plan. This plan is funded because of the Healthcare Law that some lemmings are losing their minds over. This plan is aparantly not well known. Must be the tea party govenor we have who is fighting the law.
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Jennifer
Phoenix, Az,
I few years ago I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had surgery to remove my thyroid. In addition to surgery, treatment includes radioactive iodine which is a pill and the iodine targets any remaining thyroid tissue.As cancer goes, this is not a bad one to have as surgery and radioactive iodine are, basically curative. Meaning it will never come back. Additionally, it's so slow growing that the chances of it spreading are almost nil.Not long after the surgery, I left my job to pursue a career in the field for which I was going to school at the time of the surgery. I landed a job working as an indepenent contractor for a local software company. It's a great company to work for, but, as an independent contractor, I have to provide for my own insurance. After applying for and being either denied or having my monthly premium almost doubled due to having had cancer, I just gave up.Thanks to the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Progam (PCIP), which is a part of the Affordable Care Act that went into effect last year, I will have excellent coverage at a reasonable price for the first time in 3 years.I'm happy to say that I am Obamacare.
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kelly
, va,
Oh, and I forgot to mention - the insurance company has NEVER PAID A PENNY on me in the 5 years I've had them.They're raising the rates as much as the law will allow now before all the legislation kicks in in 2014 so they can make up for the cut in their enormous profites after '14.Also, does Obama reallllllly think the insurance companies are going to pick up the cost for birth control/abortions, etc for churches? HA HA HA If you work for the Catholic or any other church that does not believe in those things you should not expect to have those things covered. If we were requiring Muslims to pay for abortions or something else they don't believe in, well ---------- oh wait - that would NEVER happen.I'm not a fan of the health care mandates as you can see.
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kelly
, va,
Thanks to the new health care law my insurance premiums have doubled since it passed. I'm self-insured, unemployed and about to lose my insurance because I can no longer afford the premiums.Thanks out of touch politicians for screwing up our country and my healthcare.
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Yvonne K.
Tampa, FL, Teacher
Yes, I have already benefitted from our national health care plan. I recently had my well-woman visit and was surprised that there was no co-pay. I am a breast cancer survivor (25 years) and have numerous less threatening pre-existing conditions. I recently had surgery for a colangeocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) and will possibly need chemotherapy. It's a relief to know that I ultimately cannot be denied insurance for these pre-existing conditions as long as the health care bill remains intact. It's also a relief to know that my grandchildren will be able to remain on their parents insurance plans until they are 26. I'm praying the republicans do NOT have their way as far as repealing the health care bill. As a Florida public school teacher, I and my colleagues are under incredible stress on the job......our republican state legislature has taken tenure from us, 3% of our income from us, decerification of our unions, and our jobs are constantly on the line now. Lay-offs have not happened in my county.....yet. But teachers and other public school employees have been laid off accross the state of FL. The only perk that keeps me working is my health insurance, & even that is threatened. It has been very frightening to find myself seriously ill in these times when its too early for me to retire (I have to work 4 more years before I will be eligible for medicare, and my husband who is on my insurance plan needs to work 7 more years before he is eligible). We favor single payer national health care, so that all of us will have our health care needs met. No citizen of the Untited States of America should suffer so beacause of lack of insurance and health problems. Single payer has proven to be less wasteful, more effective and cheaper than any other system
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Cindy Johnson
covington, ky, marketing
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Geoff Browning
Emerald Hills, CA, Minister
Because of the health care reform law, my daughter was able to rejoin my health care plan saving thousands of dollars!
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Suzanne Bennett
Ponder, Texas, Freelance Writer
The health care law does not help me one iota! I struggle along surviving at far below the povertly level ineligible for any sort of assistance whatsoever due to being self-employed and completely unable to pay for medical, dental or vision care of any kind. I have not seen a doctor, dentist or optomotrist in over 5 years and have no expectation or ability to ever do so. My eyeglasses are 8 years old. I struggle to pay outrageous self-employment taxes that can never be paid in full so double every month due to interest and penalties. All of my taxes go to pay for social security and medicare for which I am not eligible and which we probably will no longer have if I am able to survive to the age of 65. HEALTH CARE REFORM IS A JOKE!WE NEED SINGLE PAYER UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE NOW!We are the ONLY DEVELOPED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD that allows its citizens to suffer and die from common maladies while private insurance companies, banksters and corporations control the government.
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