I am the mother of two wonderful daughters in their 20s.  One of them has been seeing a mental health specialist since she was 10 years old, and having access to that care with health insurance has been pivotal to her success in college and beyond.

The Affordable Care Act made it possible for my daughter to have continuity of care until 26, which saved us from paying extreme premiums for quality health care coverage and helped my daughter get the support she needed as she finished her Bachelors degree.

However, come November, when my daughter is no longer covered under her parents’ insurance, we will again be looking to see how she will continue to receive the care she needs while she attends graduate school full-time. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long.

Come October 1st, we’ll be able to go to healthcare.gov and start the enrollment process so we can create a plan for her care that includes more options than just expensive COBRA coverage without the worry of being denied for a pre-existing condition.

I’m also looking forward to seeing how the Affordable Care Act will help me start my own business. I am in the process of planning to create an organization that will include mind-body-spirit approaches to caregiving, allowing me to hire my  daughter and possibly other youth who are currently unemployed and uninsured. As a professor, I have been stunned by how many students are in the same situation as my daughter.

Wouldn’t it be great to hire these students or youth like them? This is what I want—to create jobs in my community with new, affordable health care options to provide to my employees.

I’m doing everything I can to get informed and hope other moms are doing the same. It’s important that people are aware of the issues and it needs to start with us at home. This is why I joined the Wellness Wonder Team and what I love about MomsRising—they don’t let things fall through the cracks—and neither should we.  Let’s talk to each other and our families to help make sure everyone gets covered.