Repealing Obamacare Could Kill Me

When President Barack Obama’s second term ended, the Affordable Care Act remained one of the most controversial issues of his presidency. On Jan. 11, a vote in the United States Senate began to repeal the law, and the House of Representatives followed this initiative five day later. The far-reaching effects of this decision will have consequences for years to come and for millions of Americans.

The ACA or “Obamacare” was intended to help the millions of Americans who could not afford health insurance coverage. While far from perfect, two major provisions of the law both guaranteed coverage to those for whom it was usually denied, and provided financial help to large groups of lower income Americans.

The ability for young Americans to remain on their parents’ health insurance coverage until the age of 26 served to provide a cooling-off period after school, and gave them time to find their careers and, in turn, their own coverage, and while I can respect the Republicans for standing by their convictions, repealing the law without a replacement is a profoundly irresponsible (and dangerous) decision.

You see, I am one of the young Americans affected by this repeal. I have been a type I diabetic since I was in second grade. Now, at 23 years old, costs are rising for diabetes care and the trend is not slowing down.

Diabetes is also a preexisting condition, meaning that for most insurance providers, I am a risky bet. Without the ACA’s guarantee of coverage, my chances of finding affordable insurance will plummet. According to Diabetes Self Management, a diabetic self-care resource site, “Insulin costs have soared from $100–$200 per month a few years ago to $400–$500 a month” as of August 2016.

That is just the cost of the insulin itself. When you factor in the cost of blood glucose meters, lancets (the needles we use to prick our fingers and test blood sugar), test strips, syringes, insulin pumps and the pump infusion sets to use them, the cost is much higher. As medical costs continue to grow, the price of care and supplies becomes restrictive. This is not just a matter of health insurance being expensive and not wanting to pay for it. I cannot afford the supplies on my own, and without them, I will die.

Unlike our congressional representatives, I am not wealthy. They may have no worries paying their $300 a month insurance premiums, but I do not have that luxury. Yet these men and women are the ones deciding whether I am able to remain healthy. I understand that they think they are doing what is best for America, for their constituents, their friends and their families. It will not serve me, mine or anybody by ripping our coverage away with no alternative. We will all suffer. And some will die.