Letter to Editor: Melinda of Portland, TN

Melinda of Portland, TN writes:

My name is Melinda Dyer, I live in Portland, TN, and I have three kids. I worked low-middle class jobs, for many years at poverty level. Fortunately I got a few breaks and some education, and things changed for the better. My husband is an assistant principal, and now I have insurance through his employer.

 

I have an extremely rare medical condition called Fibrosing Mediastinitis, caused by airborne spores. The worst part is extreme and constant fatigue from the body’s autoimmune response. Before the ACA, there was no way I could have gotten insurance. The ACA allowed for pre-existing conditions and removed the lifetime caps on medical expenses. I’m not sure I would be eligible or able to afford the premiums if they take away the pre-existing clause.
You can’t go through life without medical insurance. If something catastrophic happens, it protects you from losing everything you’ve worked for. Do I think the ACA was the answer to everything? No, but it was definitely a good start. I hear constant complaints about the ACA, but the statistics show that more people enrolled this year than in past years. If it’s repealed, what’s going to happen to all of those people?

Help Melinda get this message heard by adding your voice.

We’re stronger together.

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