I am writing to protest the Trump administration’s latest effort to deny health insurance to people who have pre-existing medical conditions.
This is very personal to me, because I have multiple sclerosis. So did my mother and my grandmother. But I now have many more opportunities than they did to slow down the progression of my disease through the use of new medications.
The problem is that these medications can cost up to $40,000.00 a year. That’s why the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was such a godsend. Among the many ways it protects people is by making it unlawful for insurance companies to deny coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
But as mentioned above, the current administration is trying to destroy these protections, one stealthy step at a time. The latest tactic is a new federal regulation that would make it legal for insurance companies to offer “short term” insurance plans that do not have the same protections as the ACA.
And yes, it would again be legal to deny coverage for people because of pre-existing conditions.
As of now, this rule is scheduled to take effect at the end of September. I urge everyone to put pressure on their elected representatives to stop the further victimization of people who are already so vulnerable.
See the links below for more information.
https://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2018/08/01/skimpy-health-insurance-plans-pre-existing-conditions
