Growing up I used to assume that any time I was sick my parents would take me to the doctor. That any time I need leg braces, a new chair, or any other equipment, that it would be covered, as I needed these things to function in daily life. Over the years I’ve come to understand that things are a bit more complicated. Paying for one person’s coverage means that someone else has to step up to help. And even government funds have limits.
Presently, we find ourselves asking many questions about coverage. About how to cover those individuals that need a little extra care, while not breaking the bank of working families. Questions about government initiatives such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act sit at the forefront of these discussions. While I have no intention of getting into the politics being discussed regarding these programs, their existence is more than just a convenience for the disabled, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions. It is a mater of daily life. A matter of great concern and utmost urgency.
For individuals with great healthcare needs, such as myself, coverage is a tricky beast. Medicaid’s financial restrictions and limitations prevent many from using it without significantly limiting their income. For the MAPP Program this figure is 250% of the Federal Poverty Level in the State of Wisconsin. For single individuals this amounts to roughly $30,000 per year, and $40,000 for married individuals (2016 FPL Chart). As this amount is counted per the entire household, rather than just the individual, those who have a disability but wish to be married must choose an insurance plan, as they will likely not qualify for Medicaid as a working couple. Due to this families where one spouse is disabled, or where one child is disabled may have no choice but to rely on an insurance plan.
The Affordable Care Act has helped these families to have coverage without fear of being rejected due to a sick child or family member. Prior to the Affordable Care Act, many insurance plans rejected candidates and families with members with pre-existing conditions, significantly raised premiums, and had lifetime limits on expenditures. The Affordable Care Act helped to offset and remove this burden by requiring that insurance companies must insure everyone regardless of any pre-existing condition (roughly 52 million Americans according to the Kaiser Family Foundation), and cannot charge inflated premiums due to the individual being in a higher risk group. While not perfect, this step in the right direction gives a degree of relief in a world of uncertainty. The Affordable Care Act, coupled with the Medicaid expansion helped to offset the cost of insuring higher risk individuals.
There is some talk of not only repealing the Affordable Care Act, but limiting and imposing changes upon Medicare and Medicaid. While sympathetic to the problems of the system and the complex nature of healthcare coverage, the fear of losing benefits greatly impacts the disability community. Medicaid pays for the workers and staff that help us function on a daily basis. Many of us struggle to find daily care as is. With low wages for caregivers, and often little to no job benefits, paid leave, nor sick leave, caregivers are in short supply, and don’t often stick around long. Any changes to these programs could significantly impact our ability to work, go about daily life, and may even jeopardize our health.
To those reading this, I do not seek to question your viewpoint. I know that you are looking out for your children and families. I ask that you help us ask to ensure that everyone can have access to medical resources and affordable coverage, regardless of who they are or what conditions they may have. Please help those of us in the disabled community, the elderly, and families with children needing “a little extra care” to be allowed to continue living, working, and participating in the community without fearing how we will handle our next bout of sickness, where we will get medical equipment, or how we will get the necessary care to go about our daily lives and jobs. Please help me in reaching out and sharing these concerns with our representatives.
Yours Truly,
Joe Frost
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