This year, my family’s health insurance premiums have risen once again. Like many Americans, we find ourselves in a state where our governor has declined federal funding to fully support the Affordable Care Act, which means the burden falls on families like ours. With the mandate in place, we are required to have insurance whether we can afford it or not, and I completely understand the frustration many feel about this. It’s disheartening to know we’re losing an extra $200 a month for a plan that hasn’t changed from the previous year.
However, I also recognize how vital it is to have health insurance, especially given my experiences. Eleven years ago, when my partner and I began to get serious, he landed a new job. This was one of those pivotal moments in life where you unknowingly establish your future roles. He asked if he should opt for a PPO or an HMO, and I advised him to choose the PPO. “I’m healthy,” he replied. “I exercise, I rarely get sick, and the HMO is more affordable.” But I cautioned him, “You never know when you might get sick. You don’t want to be in a terrible situation if that happens.”
I wanted to scream, “Don’t make a foolish choice! This is critical!” Unfortunately, he prioritized saving money for outings with me over obtaining comprehensive insurance.
Shortly after proposing, he experienced a grand mal seizure during a softball game. Rushed to the hospital, doctors discovered he had inoperable brain tumors—grade IV glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of cancer, with a grim prognosis.
You can be sure that his HMO was reluctant to cover the extensive medical costs that followed. Over the next year, I spent countless hours battling $100,000 in surgical bills, as well as thousands for MRIs, chemotherapy, and radiation—expenses that can easily lead to financial ruin. We were fortunate. Because I had insisted he consult a doctor about a symptom that turned out to be brain cancer, we managed to secure coverage for him. Had his insurance lapsed for any reason, he would have been ineligible for coverage again.
Before the Affordable Care Act, without the pre-existing conditions clause, surviving meant facing a future without insurance for even the most trivial medical needs. The day President Obama signed the ACA into law, my husband had already been living with brain cancer for three years. During that time, we had navigated the financial strain imposed by a collapsing economy, which caused him to lose his job. We had to rely on COBRA to keep our insurance active, which was an enormous financial burden.
With the ACA in place, our situation improved dramatically. It meant that gaps in coverage were no longer a death sentence. My husband could get insurance again if he ever lost it. Employers could no longer deny benefits arbitrarily. After working fourteen months at his new job, he finally became eligible for insurance benefits. Thanks to Obamacare, countless others no longer face the same uncertainties we did.
I have seen the public debate surrounding the Affordable Care Act, often reminiscent of the conversation I had with my partner long ago. “You could get sick, and you don’t want to be in a terrible situation if that happens.” Accidents happen. A sudden illness can turn into a pre-existing condition, leaving one without insurance indefinitely.
Yes, health insurance can be costly, but what you pay for is more than just a health care plan. You are investing in equality—being charged the same amount regardless of gender, and the assurance that you won’t face lifetime coverage caps. You are paying for the peace of mind that comes with knowing that if you fall ill, you won’t lose your coverage.
While I waited for my fiancé during his radiation treatments, I read about the epidemic of “medical bankruptcy” as a leading cause of financial instability in the U.S. We were among the lucky ones; we managed to keep our coverage and muddled through. My husband is still with us today, and together we have built a family with three beautiful daughters. I worry about their genetic predisposition to his cancer. If they inherit these genes, they too will face the burden of pre-existing conditions.
We are fortunate to live in an era where innovative treatments like the Optune device exist, which helps manage his condition with minimal side effects. With our insurance, we shoulder no additional costs beyond our annual deductible. Without it, this life-saving device could cost us up to $35,000 each month.
Every time I feel frustrated about the extra $200 we spend on insurance, I remind myself of this reality: we could be paying $200 more each month, or we could be facing a $35,000 bill. I imagine my husband’s colleagues grumbling about rising healthcare costs, but they also see the device he wears and understand that their contributions mean he can continue to be a father to our children.
In this country, most of us know someone who is alive today because of Obamacare. While the Affordable Care Act is not perfect, it has undoubtedly saved lives—my husband’s included. Over 50 million Americans live with pre-existing conditions, and for us, health insurance represents not just security, but hope. To the lawmakers who aim to dismantle the ACA, I echo my sentiments from over a decade ago: “Don’t be reckless! This is essential.”
This is a matter of life and death for many, including remarkable people like my husband, who simply had the misfortune of becoming ill.
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Summary:
The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) has been a lifeline for many families, including mine, providing essential coverage and protections for those with pre-existing conditions. Despite rising premiums, the ACA has transformed how we access healthcare, ensuring that no one has to face the terrifying reality of losing insurance due to illness.