Fmr. Rep. Donna Edwards: " Congress colleagues: I have MS. Don't make my insurance unaffordable

[HipChick]

Dear colleagues in Congress,

I struggled over whether to write, but following the House passage of the American Health Care Act, and now the work that’s going on in the Senate,
As a member of Congress, I had pretty decent health care. After the passage of the Affordable Care Act — Obamacare — we were required to leave the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan and go into the D.C. Health Exchange. I chose a gold-tier Blue Cross-Blue Shield plan with a $400-a-month premium (plus deductibles and copays) that enabled me to see all the specialists I needed. I finally got my diagnosis after nearly two months of tests and analysis. It came June 22, 2016 — the day of the House sit-in in support of gun-control legislation.
<Snip>
That morning, I went to the House floor to join the sit-in. But hours into our protest, the House attending physician called me to his office to tell me I had multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system. At first, I couldn’t process what he was saying. I thought I had a pinched nerve; I didn’t know anything about MS. Devastated, I blinked away my tears and went back to the chamber, where I stayed for the remainder of the evening.
A year later, I am no longer in Congress, and my future health care is uncertain. I am not employed, and I pay $800 a month for my COBRA coverage, which ends in June 2018. I’m not sure what I’ll do then. My medication, which has thankfully halted the progression of my MS, costs roughly $73,000 a year. I’ve had three sets of MRI scans and will require one each year to check my progress; that’s roughly $7,000 each. I admit, I do not completely understand all of the bills. It’s very confusing.

Unlike some of you, I am not wealthy. When I was younger, I had the experience of not having health insurance, and I almost lost my home after landing in the emergency room. One reason I ran for Congress was to help make sure no one would have to go through that, and I was proud to be one of the presiding officers when the Affordable Care Act passed. I did not think the law was perfect; I believed it was a good start. I never thought I could have to go back to a time when I would not have health-care coverage.
I’m worried that one day I will have to sell my home or spend my retirement savings on my health care. I don’t know what I will do next or whether I will run for public office again. I do know that my MS will not stop me. But not having health-care coverage because of my MS could stop me permanently.
Full Story:https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/to-my-colleagues-in-congress-i-have-ms-dont-make-my-insurance-unaffordable/2017/07/07/bd7bcaea-630b-11e7-8adc-fea80e32bf47_story.html

[elleng]

1. ;-(

[Glamrock]

2. A for effort,

But really? The GOP will listen to a black female Democrat? Appreciate the effort though and wish her the best.

[Hekate]

3. KnR. Such courage.

[BigmanPigman]

4. Her story is almost identical to mine (the dates, costs, past history, etc)

I hope they listen to a colleague's situation since they haven't been taking mine seriously for the past 6 months. I have been calling, writing, going to marches and die-ins. This stress is not good for my health either. I hate Ryan and McConnel and the rest of the GOP monsters.

[malaise]

5. There are thousands facing similar problems

Meanwhile they want to tell women they can't have abortions while they take away healthcare from people with real needs.

[Vinca]

6. I'm sorry for your situation and for Donna's. I don't know what's wrong with Republicans.

You'd think they all were in perfect health and could all afford great coverage.