written by Sydney Johnson – MiBCC intern and Political Science major at Aquinas College
With a new administration setting up camp in the White House, many are wondering what the future of American healthcare will look like. Republicans and President Trump have long threatened to dismantle the Affordable Care Act in favor of a different system. However, Republicans on Capitol Hill have initiated the process to repeal the ACA without a replacement. If the ACA is repealed it will leave 18 million people uninsured in the first year alone, and those who have their own insurance such as through an employer will see insurance premiums increase by 20-25%. This will have devastating effects on more people than just those who are at risk of losing their insurance, as costs will skyrocket for everyone in the healthcare system.
But what does this mean for breast cancer care? Women at risk for developing breast cancer, patients currently receiving treatment, and survivors will see major impacts. In addition to keeping costs affordable, the ACA outlined requirements and guidelines that insurance companies have to follow, including establishing a list of preventive services that are available with no copayment. Mammograms, BRCA gene testing, and genetic counseling are among the services provided free of cost. Without the ACA, millions of women will lose access to a number of preventive services, the very thing that could save their lives.
The ACA also guarantees that people with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable healthcare; this regulation would disappear if the ACA is repealed. Insurance companies would be able to deny coverage to breast cancer patients and survivors due to their previous history of cancer. This means that if a breast cancer patient has to switch insurance companies during treatment, they would lose their coverage.
Prior to the ACA, insurance companies had the right to deny a person coverage if the cost of care exceeded the lifetime limitation cost of their policy. Lifesaving cancer treatments that include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are expensive. Without the protections of ACA, insurance companies may discontinue coverage and leave patients without health insurance in the middle of their fight against breast cancer.
The last thing a breast cancer patient should have to worry about during their treatment is whether they are covered. If the ACA is repealed it will not only take away access to affordable healthcare for millions, but also increase costs for those who have their own health insurance, via costly insurance premiums and the reappearance of copayments for life saving services like mammograms.
However, it is not too late to take action and prevent the ACA from being dismantled, as the repeal legislation still needs to be written and voted on. The power of the American public to influence their Representatives in Congress was shown in January when Republicans voted to dismantle the ethics committee, but scrapped their decision after a mass outcry from their constituents. So please exercise this power and write or call your Representative and Senators to let them know that it is unacceptable to leave millions of people uninsured. Your phone calls, emails, or letters do make a difference! So please take the time to make your voice heard today!
Go to //advocate/how-to-be-an-advocate/ to find information on how to contact your Congressional Representative and Senators.
