I am one of countless moms in our country who can say that Medicaid literally saved my child's life. When my son, Ethan, was born in 2006, he needed to start chemotherapy at six weeks old to treat a life-threatening tumor. He needed round-the-clock care, so I had to quit work to care for him, which meant we also lost our employer-sponsored health insurance.

 

We were incredibly fortunate that Ethan qualified for Medicaid which enabled him to get the healthcare he needed and enabled me to take the time I needed to care for him.

 

Once Ethan was in remission and we started to get back on our feet financially, I found out I was uninsurable due to my lapse in coverage and some pre-existing conditions.

 

But once the Affordable Care Act went into effect, that changed. I was able to buy affordable health insurance coverage on the Marketplace, despite my pre-existing condition. I've since gained employer-sponsored coverage, but my family still benefits immensely from the peace of mind knowing that the pre-existing conditions that I have—or the one that my son was born with—cannot prevent us from getting health insurance in the future.

 

The repeal of the ACA would be devastating to my family. The insecurity of knowing that a job loss or other major change could mean financial ruin should one of us get sick is horrifying.

President-elect Trump and Congressional Republicans have made dismantling the Affordable Care Act (ACA) their mission. Independent credible experts agree that around 30 million people will lose coverage when the ACA is repealed, including 4 million children. This would also force people with pre-existing conditions into an expensive and unnecessary fight for their lives, all of which hurts our economy and families.

Instead of improving on the Affordable Care Act, which millions of Americans have benefited from, they are offering confusing and weak alternatives that gut access to health insurance and eliminate the essential health benefits package—allowing insurers to determine whether or not things like maternity care, mental health care, or even prescriptions should be covered.

My hope is that legislators who are deciding the future of our nation's healthcare system will look past the political rhetoric, listen to people with stories like mine, and consult with experts who have the best interest of our communities in mind. We must have a healthcare system that works for all of us—not just the few who can afford it.