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“Thank you to these voices from our community for speaking
out on the impact of changing the Affordable Care Act,” said
Kaptur. “The ACA has key protections that promote wellness,
preventative care and help to curb costs for consumers. When
it comes to convincing Congress, the American people are our
best weapons. In order to learn how to improve our health
care system, we must listen to the people. Let’s not move
forward with reckless repeal, instead, let’s build on this
progress.”
Below are summaries of the stories shared on the call:
Mary and Joseph:
Joseph is self-employed and his health care has been covered
through Mary’s employer-sponsored insurance. Mary retires
this year and is eligible for Medicare. Since he will no
longer be covered through his wife’s health insurance
Joseph, at 62, is trying to bridge the insurance gap until
he is eligible for Medicare. They considered getting
coverage through the Marketplace but opted for COBRA
insurance for 18 months in lieu of the exchange, citing
uncertainty from Washington regarding the status of the
health care law. The monthly COBRA payment is twice the
premium of insurance through the exchange with a subsidy.
Joseph is also putting off a knee replacement because of
this uncertainty.
Alicia:
As a single parent, Alicia twice benefitted from Medicaid
while she was serving in the AmeriCorps State and Vista
programs. One occasion was surgery for Alicia’s son to have
his tonsils removed, and the other was a procedure, for
Alicia, to remove pre-cancerous cells. Medicaid provided
peace of mind and on both occasions, Alicia would not have
been able to pay for the surgeries without Medicaid.
Nicholas:
Nicholas is a 21-year-old college student about to
graduate. He has Crohn’s Disease and has been suffering
with it for six years. He is under his parent's insurance
which the ACA allows until age 26. The coverage provides
great help in covering his medical bills. His treatment his
prohibitively expensive and costs about $50,000 to $60,000
every eight weeks. Nicholas would not be able to afford this
life-saving treatment without insurance. When he graduates,
without the assurances provided through the ACA which
prohibit discrimination or exclusion based on pre-existing
conditions as well as the elimination of lifetime caps,
Nicholas’ health insurance future is uncertain.
Kaylie:
Kaylie’s father fell ill in 2007 when Kaylie was nine and
Medicaid was the only insurance she has ever known. Her
father was in and out of hospitals until his death in 2014.
Kaylie’s family was able to afford the care her father
needed because of Medicaid. Additionally, Kaylie recently
injured her knee and once again Medicaid was her saving
grace.
Facts about the Affordable Care
Act in Ohio:
•In Ohio’s Ninth District
44,000 individuals gained health insurance since 2012,
thanks to the Affordable Care Act. The uninsured rate was
cut in half in the District, from 13.3% in 2012 to 7% in
2015. [U.S. Census Bureau data]
•According to the
House Energy and House
Oversight Committees,
866,000 individuals in Ohio have gained coverage since
the ACA was implemented and could lose their coverage if
the ACA is entirely or partially repealed.
•212,046 individuals purchased high-quality Marketplace
coverage now stand to lose their coverage if the
Republican Congress dismantles the exchanges.
•174,448 individuals received financial assistance to
purchase Marketplace coverage in 2016, averaging $250 per
individual, and are at risk of having coverage become
unaffordable if the Republican Congress eliminates the
premium tax credits.
•665,900 individuals enrolled in Medicaid under the ACA’s
Medicaid expansion and could now stand to lose coverage
if the Republican Congress eliminates the Medicaid
expansion.
•119,000 kids have gained coverage since the ACA was
implemented.
•81,000 young adults were able to stay on a parent’s
health insurance plan thanks to the ACA. They now stand
to lose coverage if the Republican Congress eliminates the
requirement that insurers allow children to stay on their
parents’ plans until age 26.
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