"Do not send me to my grave"

I do not post a lot online about Politics, especially on my blog. I believe everyone has a right to vote for who they want (the whole point of Democracy). While I think my candidate is always the best choice, so does everyone else. I always hope voters educate themselves about the people running and understand what their platforms mean.

I am breaking my usual silence on politics in the post, because I also believe in freedom of speech. I'm do not write this to bash one person and praise another. It is more to have a place to speak my mind on our current situation in America.

I have a lot of worries about Donald Trump being America's President-elect. Besides his hatred for people of other nationalities, color, religion, sexual orientation, etc. Since this blog is focused on sharing my life with Cystic Fibrosis with the world, I will  focus my biggest concern. My title "Do not send me to my grave" explains my fear for my life with Donald Trump becoming President. My friend (with CF) Dustin Huff, said this (so I took the line from him); but it sums it up.

Donald Trump has repeatedly said he will repeal and replace the ACA ("Obamacare") first chance he gets. I have read the bullet points he presented as his plan. While yes, at first glance it may not look horrible enough to send me to my grave.

The Affordable Care Act ("ObamaCare") did two great things for me:

1. Insurance can no longer deny me or raise my premium based on the fact I have a pre-existing condition.
2. Insurance can not add limits (yearly or lifetime) to plans or raise my deductible, coinsurance. 

Donald's Trump's plan while not covering the first two great achievements brings in a third problem for my health:

       3. Having options for buying medications overseas.

Trump did say "He believes in keeping the protection of people with pre-existing conditions" in the past, but it is not addressed in his plan. Also, he has never mentioned anything about limiting insurance companies ability to raise plans costs for those who are ill. Infact, his plan has nothing in it to protect us from insurance companies.

Bottomline: Insurance companies need to make money too, they are a business like anyone else. I'm not saying this to protect them or feel sorry for them, but to explain why Trump's plan is not iron-clad. Mathematically insurance companies lose a lot of money on people like me. For example: We pay (and our employer) a total of about $700 a month for insurance. I also have an amazing plan though, where once I meet my individual deductible of $3,000 I have 100% coverage on everything. all meds, hospitalizations, etc (as long as in-network), which all my doctors are (since our insurance is large provider).  So I have a lot better deal than my insurance. My insurance last month paid out $77,000 (just for my daily meds), not including appointments, hospitalizations, or extra medications.

Now take my husband for instance, he never gets sick. He hasn't been to a doctor in years (other than a yearly -insurance required- check-up). So they make money off my husband (roughly $350 a month).

For everyone 1 person like me we would need 220 people like my husband to make up the money they lose on me. This is why ACA helped me. It made sure everyone single person paid for insurance, which allowed insurance companies to find the extra 220 people needed per sick person.

However, Trump's plan stated:

1. "Completely repeal Obamacare. Our elected representatives must eliminate the individual mandate. No person should be required to buy insurance unless he or she wants to. " (https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform)

Without everyone purchasing Healthcare insurance the companies will not be able to find the numbers of buyers needed to make up for those of us with pre-existing conditions.  This will mean insurance will have to make up the money somewhere. Yearly or lifetime limits, which means once I reach the limit that is the maximum the insurance company will pay. Anything over that I pay out of pocket.... 

In typical year my insurance pays around: $1,011,800 a year on me.... If they even cap my limit at 250,000 or 500,000 I will be bankrupt after one year!!

YIKES!

Now for the third concern I had listed: Having options for buying medications overseas.

Trump's website (https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform)  has this listed as the last major point in his Healthcare replacement:

 "Remove barriers to entry into free markets for drug providers that offer safe, reliable and cheaper products. Congress will need the courage to step away from the special interests and do what is right for America. Though the pharmaceutical industry is in the private sector, drug companies provide a public service. Allowing consumers access to imported, safe and dependable drugs from overseas will bring more options to consumers."

Here is my biggest concern (as far as affecting the CF Community) with this aspect. Many major pharmaceutical companies will lose a lot of revenue if people import the medications. AbbVie is one company that has been listed as one of the companies affected by this. Without proper income the funding won't be there for research and supportive services for the CF Foundation. AbbVie and other big drug companies do support many non-profits and research for cures for drugs. 

Now, I'm not saying insurance companies or Pharmaceutical company are innocent. Some medications are way over priced. However, allowing importing of medication is opening up a lot of issues. 

 So there it is... All my concerns for my health with Donald Trump as President.  I do know repealing and replacing the ACA will take time. Which means I have a year or two before I start to be affected financially.  I do believe if the ACA is replaced with Trumps plan. I will be denied insurance or have limits added to my plan, or increased coinsurance. If I have a coinsurance of 20%... anyone want to do the math.... It is truly terrifying. 

However, now that Donald Trump has become our President Elect, I will just have to wait and see how it all works out. While I did not vote for Trump, I accept that he won. I'm shocked, sadden, and horrified. Even so, I do not want people to riot in the streets or become hostile and angry. We need to stay united as a country and not split further apart. 

All I can hope is that it doesn't turn out the way I (and half the country) believe it will. I hope, pray, and want to believe as a nation can come together. I do not support Trump, but when he is President I will not be disrespectful towards him or tear down other who do support him. 

Let's just hope this is NOT as bad as I think it will be.