Mom with MS Excited About Health Care Reform

Seattle, Wash. -- I am currently insured by COBRA under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. I am unemployed and have been since I was laid off in 2009. This means that, assuming my husband and I do not find jobs providing health care, my family of four (I have two daughters), could easily go uninsured at any point. The money that sustains me, coming from the unusually long lasting federal unemployment extension, could end at any time. I take a drug via daily injection for my multiple sclerosis that has a retail price of $3,797.49 a month, according to the pharmacist at my local Safeway.

I do not qualify for public assistance, determined locally through the State of Washington's Department of Social and Health Services because of the amount of money I get from unemployment, which is still less than $3,000. I'm relieved that the health care reform legislation will reduce the cost of insuring my family. Without my COBRA subsidy extension, I would have to pull my child out of child care and, therefore, I would have a very difficult time joining the workforce again. It would come crashing down fast.

I'm happy about the legislation for two primary reasons:

(1) 94 percent of Americans will have health insurance coverage, including 23 million who are currently uninsured. What does it mean to live in a developed nation with so many people with treatable conditions that, left untreated, could easily lessen the quality of life? Getting everyone covered would be ideal, but 32 million more is a step in the right direction.

(2) Insurance companies won't deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, and it will be more affordable for families and small businesses. We'll worry less about scrounging to pay medical bills and concentrate more on real opportunities for our businesses and our employees' futures.

When I was 18, while a college freshman in New York, I began pouring more money into my medical bills than my expensive private school tuition. I was covered by my father's health care plan, but the bills and threatening letters, coupled with the insurance company paying only a fraction of the costs, made for a financial headache. 2010's health care reform will make it easier for someone in my situation to attend college without maxing out credit cards on medical bills.

After college I was paying an almost ridiculous amount (considering how broke I was) for insurance -- about $396 a month. I wanted to try alternative treatments, but it wasn't until last year I started to have the fiscal power to do so. Had insurance been affordable, I would have learned about my wheat, dairy and beans allergies more than 10 years ago. I would have stayed away from allergens during my pregnancy. I could have spent money on healthy food rather than insurance premiums.

I am now the founder of MomsWithMS.com, an international online peer support community for mothers who have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I know of many moms in many states who should be on treatment options, many of which are at least as expensive as the one I'm currently taking -- $3,797.49 without insurance. Many of these moms have scary symptoms affecting their vision, mobility and more, but they won't go to a doctor because of the expense. Their kids are uninsured -- even kicked off state insurance programs recently due to budget cuts.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is great for finding prescription assistance. But not all of these moms live near an office; many don't drive or have gas money.

But as more affordable plans for families and small businesses, and the increased possibilities of finding a job in this economy due to the increased jobs from heath care cost reductions, we as moms with MS will be in better shape.

As much as I want to save everyone, I can't, and though I wish for many more rights as an American, I am thrilled that we have at least a glimmer of intelligence in our government.

Sources:
1. http://pol.moveon.org/healthcare/tenthings/
2. http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/04/maternity-leave-laws-forbes-woman-wellbeing-pregnancy.html
3. http://www.MomsWithMS.com