America Speaks Out: The High Cost of Trumpcare on Families
Cyndi Johnson, Bloomington, IN
Cyndi is the mother of three who works part time. Her 10-year old daughter was born with Down syndrome a few years before the passage of the ACA. Cyndi’s husband had insurance for their family through his employer, but because of the significant services that their daughter needed, the family was forced to assume significant debt, including a loan on their home.
Gina Walkington, Bristol, WI
Gina is the mother of three young children.When Gina was 20 years old, she was an under insured college student who sought the preventative health screening services offered by Planned Parenthood. The screening she received detected pre-cancerous cells on her cervix. Thanks to the early detection she received from Planned Parenthood, Gina was able to receive treatment and remove the troubling cells, which she credits with enabling her to become a mother.
Carol Fisher Hardaway, Salisbury, MD
Carol is a part-time substitute teacher in Salisbury, MD. Carol was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1990, when her son was not even 5 years old. Carol relocated to be close to family in order for help with her son, but because her disease did not significantly affect her lifestyle, she remained uninsured, paying for any needed medical care out-of-pocket. However, in 2012 and 2013, her MS progressed significantly and she was essentially house-bound and unable to work.
Michael Dunkley, Alexandria, VA
Michael is a 64-year-old full-time care giver for his wife, who has advanced Multiple Sclerosis (MS). In 2013,Michael lost his job as an audio-visual contractor and lost his employer-sponsored insurance. He was on COBRA and paying early $900 per month for a plan with a $7,500 deductible and a $15,000 out-of-pocket limit. His COBRA coverage was set to expire on December 31, 2013. In October, however,Michael was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and immediately started a powerful 5-component chemotherapy treatment program in late January 2014. Thankfully, Michael was able to sign up on Virginia’s marketplace at the beginning of 2014, the first year of its existence.
Rodney Nelson, St. Ignace, MI
Rodney is the President and CEO of Mackinac Straits, a small hospital system in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and is the 2017 recipient of the American Hospital Association’s Rural Leadership award. Mackinac Straits Health System includes a 48-bed nursing home and 15-bed critical access hospital.
Teresa Miller, Pennsylvania
Since 2015, Teresa Miller has served as Insurance Commissioner for Pennsylvania under Governor Tom Wolf. In Pennsylvania, more than 1.1 million people have gotten coverage through the marketplaces.
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