Get off ACA's Back

This is the part of the ACA that is most positive.  One, the "portability" of insurance, that allows people to go to the exchange and get their own insurance.  Small businesses, that cannot afford to cover their employees, self employed entrepreneurs, now can get affordable insurance.  And those in their 50s and 60s, are not yet at Medicare age, now can get insurance at a time in their lives when they need medical insurance.

Look, we are the ONLY economy on earth, who ties health care to whether we are employed or not.  So, to lose a job, means disaster if you get sick.  This has been a huge drag on our economy, puts us at a competitive disadvantage in the global economy, and ruins careers.  I am an example of that damage.

I have a son in law, who has a bad back, and is dragging his feet to get insured.  There may be some red tape issues, but there is simply no excuse to not get insurance today....none.  My son in law is self employed and right now cannot work, has not obtained insurance yet, so he sits home, untreated.

I was one of the unlucky ones, who watched his wife die slowly of breast cancer.  The ONLY thing that saved us financially was that we had medical insurance.

But, in those days if you changed jobs, you fell victim to pre-existing conditions.

I needed to change work places for political reasons: I clashed with my boss.  But, I could not, even though I was in education and got "group insurance", move from one work place to another within the same town.  Moreover, the job was the same one I was doing (Human Resources), in public education.  And I practically was promised the other position.

But to move meant no insurance for my wife, who was dying of breast cancer.  The Human Resources Director, who was retiring, called me and said I could not apply for the job since I would not be able to get insurance for my wife.

So, I stayed in a job situation that ultimately became toxic.  Because I could not change jobs, my situation at work got so bad I had to resign, and was able to relocate after my wife passed away.  By that time, even though I was a Superintendent, my time to build a career was over, so I ultimately took an early retirement.

Today, I could have moved.  I could have gone to the exchange to get insurance, or more likely, pre-existing conditions now are covered, so a job move is now very possible.

For me it meant a dead end to my career.  For me, my career was harmed, in addition to losing my best friend.

But, what the heck right?  According to my conservative friends, the ACA is awful, socialism, terrible; etc.  We all are sucking off the government's teat...eating the candy; etc.

Ask some of the people  quoted in the article below.  Ask your kids.

Get off ACA's back!  And as for you cons...may you rot!