( – promoted by lowkell)
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law. Rather than engage in political games of who’s up and who’s down we should take this moment to examine the choice facing millions of Americans. We can move forward with a health care system that protects our freedom and gives us control over our health care decisions, holds insurance companies accountable to patients, and lowers costs for families and small businesses. Or we can go back to the way it was when insurance companies stood between you and your doctor.
It’s easy to forget how far we’ve come in the last year. Easy to forget the mother whose children can now receive care because there’s no longer the lifetime limit on insurance coverage. The small business owner who won’t have to lay off one of his employees because health care is now more affordable for his business. Or the breast cancer survivor who is no longer branded as a pre-existing condition by her insurance company.
It’s easy to forget Beth Kimbriel.
Beth Kimbriel of Richmond (pictured at left) supports the Affordable Care Act because her own family has already benefited from the new health care law.
I have four college aged kids, two of whom have pre-existing conditions. One of my kids is no longer a student and with out the Affordable Care Act she would have lost her health insurance last May. I have another child who is a college student graduating this May and without the health care law, she would lose her insurance as well.
I also have a pre-existing conditions and have had periods of my life where I had to go without health care and my children had to go without as a result. I have been in the position where I had to choose between paying for prescriptions for my children or buying groceries. I don’t want anyone to ever be in that position again. This is America and we can do better.
Beth’s right. We can do better. And with the Affordable Care Act, we already are doing better. Although only one year old, the health care law is already helping Virginia’s small businesses, young people, seniors, the uninsured, and working families. Thousands of Virginians are already seeing the benefits of the Affordable Care Act:
• 102,000 small businesses will receive tax credits to help them afford coverage.
• 123,000 children with pre-existing conditions can now obtain coverage.
• 54,000 young adults are now able to stay on their parents’ insurance plans until they are 26 years old.
• 1.2 million Medicare beneficiaries now have access to free preventative health services.
• 74,100 Medicare beneficiaries received a rebate to cover prescription drug cost.
Yet, despite the benefits the health care law is already providing to Virginians, Republicans in Congress and Attorney General Cuccinelli and Governor McDonnell want to refight the same old political battles of the last two years. We cannot let them take away the consumer and patient protections in the law and put the insurance companies back in charge. Now it’s time to move forward and protect our care from those who would take away pre-existing conditions protections, prescription drug cost reductions, and expanded coverage for children and young adults.
Please join Virginia Organizing at one of our local events this week. (listed below)
We need to speak up together and protect every American – seniors, small business owners, women, young adults – and their freedom and control over their own health care.
TONIGHT!!! Petersburg
Wednesday, March 23, 6:00 p.m – 8:00 p.m.
Forum, The Affordable Health Care Law: A Year Old and A Century in the Making
With Joanne Grossi, Regional Director of Health and Human Services and Jill Hanken of the Virginia Poverty Law Center
Virginia State University
L. Douglas Wilder Building, Carter G. Woodson Avenue
Petersburg, VA 223806
* There will be cake!
Fredericksburg
Friday, March 25, Noon-2pm
Mary Washington Campus Event
Contact: kevin@virginia-organizing.org
Danville
Friday, March 25, 11:00am-1 pm
Danville Protect Our Care Event
PATHS (Piedmont Access To Health Services)
705 Main Street, Danville, VA
nik.belanger@virginia-organizing.org
Newport News
Friday, March 25, Noon-2pm
Christopher Newport University Campus Event
Contact: kevin@virginia-organizing.org
Virginia Beach
Friday, March 25, 3pm
Move Forward Rep. Rigell: Letter Delivery Event
Rep. Scott Rigell’s District Office
4772 Euclid Road, Suite E Virginia Beach, VA 23462
For more details and to RSVP contact Teresa: TStanley@virginia-organizing.org
Harrisonburg
Friday, March 25 Time and Location TBD
JMU Students Speak Out to Protect Our Care
For more details contact Emily: eeriehl@virginia-organizing.org
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