Thanks Obama!

Just thought I'd throw my two cents in ...

For the past 7 years, my health insurance has been through the Texas Insurance Risk Pool.  It's insurance for people with pre-existing conditions who are unable to obtain an individual health insurance policy through regular avenues.  Since we have our own business, and it's a small business, we are ineligible for a group policy.  So the pool has been a godsend!  The premiums are about double what a healthy person would pay, but thankfully we have been able to afford it.  Well, let's say we have made it a priority in our lives because we can't afford the alternative of having cancer and no insurance.  We have always "played by the rules" in that we have never been without health insurance, always doing what we had to do to have it for our family.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the Texas Insurance Risk Pool will no longer exist as of 1/1/14.  It makes sense.  Now that insurance companies can no longer exclude people with pre-existing conditions, there is no need for the Risk Pool to exist.  We can get insurance elsewhere.  I've been very happy with my policy, but I can't keep it.  However, now I have lots of options and my premiums should be much lower than they are currently.  I think I am in the small minority of people who will be helped by Obamacare!

Aside from the inconvenience of having to go find another policy, I thought all would be good.  I decided to stick with the same insurance company who handles the Insurance Risk Pool.  I've been a satisfied customer, and they have a large network of providers.  But, recently I received a letter from MD Anderson (my primary and only healthcare provider) stating that although they accept this company's insurance now, because of the instability of the health care market, they cannot guarantee that they will continue to do so!  WHAT???!!!

Sooooo, even though I thought that the ACA wasn't going to negatively affect my healthcare issues, but in fact help me out financially, now it appears that my doctor and healthcare facility MAY OR MAY NOT be "in-network."  The creation of the Affordable Care Act has caused my insurance program to be cancelled, and may even cause me to have to leave MD Anderson and be treated elsewhere for my Stage IV breast cancer!  Talk about my life being turned upside down!

I credit MD Anderson for keeping me alive.  I would not be alive today if I had not decided to seek my medical care there 7 years ago.  I can't stand the thought of going anywhere else!!

THANKS OBAMA!!!