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
Dianne (Dee) Batis
North Hollywood, CA, Unemployed/Retired
I'm agree with a previous writer, Clay G. Colson, from Florida. I'm 64 and am unable to obtain health insurance due to a number of "pre-existing" conditions. I did recieve BCCTP (Breast & Cervical Cancer Treatment Program), a division of Medi-Cal, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. Now that I am cancer free I no longer qualify. I also received a notice a few months back that when I die reimbursement will be made to the government from any money I may have left behind. My children/grandchildren will get nothing as the cost for surgery, chemotherapy, & radiation therapy will certainly be more than any amount left.I would be more than happy to have been able to obtain some kind of health care; I'd love to get it now as they are concerned that I may have bone cancer & want to do bone scans. I have no problem paying for it, of course. I spoke to a specialist in the "health care insurance" field to see what options I may have. He said I will have to wait until I turn 65 in September to receive MediCare. I sure hope it's not too late.
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Maureen Belle
, California, Teacher/author
I am a stage 4 cancer survivor. The new health care law allows me peace of mind. My health insurance company will no longer be allowed to not fund or stop treatment is my cancer ever returns as a pr-existing condition. If this wasn't the law a return of cancer would be a death sentence. I am worried the Republican congress is willing to sign that death certificate with no second thoughts.By the way my rates have gone up 120% over the last 5 years. Going through cancer treatement and post cancer and recovery, as a singe self employed American, took my home, life savings and retirement.Shameful how this country doesn't protect it's citizens by providing health care when every other 1st and 2nd world country sees this as a necessity and basci human right.
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Clay G. Colson
Land O' Lakes, Florida, self employed
Can we please be real? I have pre-existing conditions and the health care law only forces the industry to offer me UNAFFORDABLE coverage! The penalty for failing to provide treatment to and/or dropping their coverage of "...a mother diagnosed with breast cancer" is only $100 a day, $36,500 a year, treatment would be more, therefore the industry makes the reasonable economic choice and pays the penalty because it represents greater profit$ ... which is ALL they care about.Truth be known the Affordable Health Care Act contains NO real, tangible, effective mechanisms to keep the industry from business as usual. It was written after all by industry executives on haitus expressly to write the legislation. Despite all the rhetoric the industry got exactly what they wanted, a mandate to force mllions (30-50) to purchase a defective product with taxpayer $ub$idie$ of more than $700 BILLION over the next 10 years. This only further entrenches their control over our healthcare system while escalating the co$t$ of care assuring that MILLIONS especially the poor, elderly and sick continue to be denied any true healthcare!
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suzanne c voigt
, NY,
Thanks to the health care law my daughter, who is putting herself through college can afford birth control which she needs for menestrual regulation due to her atheltic fitness level. My son, who is in graduate school, can have health coverage by continuing to be on our health care insurance. And my husband and I don't have to worry about our children and health coverage should they become sick.
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suzanne c voigt
, NY,
Thanks to the health care law my daughter, who is putting herself through college can afford birth control which she needs for menestrual regulation due to her atheltic fitness level. My son, who is in graduate school, can have health coverage by continuing to be on our health care insurance. And my husband and I don't have to worry about our children and health coverage should they become sick.
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Christy Linkemyer
Bremerton, WA, Unemployed Real Estate Agent
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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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