As someone who is a pre-existing condition, I am not only furious but terrified.
I have never been someone who cares much for money. Thinking about my future, I want to have a job where I can have a positive affect on people’s lives. I rarely think about how much money I will be making.
When the GOP plan to overhaul the US healthcare system passed, I began to think about money. What if my insurance doesn’t cover my medicine? What if I decide to have kids one day?
I am a pre-existing condition.
Anorexia, depression, mental disorders and seasonal affective disorder are the categories I fall under. As I continue to grow, I may unfortunately fall under more categories. If I decide to have kids, I fall under yet another category.
It’s scary knowing illnesses you can’t control may not be covered by insurance.
It’s scary knowing the medicine that continues to keep you alive may not be covered.
In all honesty, it’s sickening. I am not one to talk politics, I typically pick and choose my battles and who I discuss issues with. However, this is the first time since Donald Trump has become president that I feel personally affected.
Think of all the millions of people out there who’s conditions require medicine that keep them alive. Now think of having to pay a ridiculous amount for that medicine instead of a reasonable co-pay amount.
For example, if I personally was turned away by my insurance, and I had to pay for my medicine out of pocket, I would be paying around $382 a month. That is $4,584 a year, all because of a number of illnesses I can’t control.
My conditions happen to be mental health specific. This community in general receives a lot of backlash and stereotyping, now, insurance companies have the power to refuse to cover our medicine. This could result in an increased suicide rate, an increase in violent crimes and a number of other tragedies.
It is already difficult enough to get mental health treatment and drugs covered by insurance.
Cancer as a broad illness is listed as a pre-existing condition. Now personally I know a few people who suffer from all types of cancer and are on five different pills a day, sometimes even 10 or more.
Without insurance the average treatment cost out of pocket would reach a ridiculous amount of over $100,000 in an 8 week period.
There are a number of different outcomes that could occur if insurances decide to deny coverage of necessary drugs and treatment. Reports show that currently it is effecting about 52 million Americans and that number will only continue to grow if we don’t put up a fight.
