Upheld!

WHEW!  What a week!  Last week started off on a stressful note as Little Sister came down with an awful bug on Sunday night, which ended up in a trip to the pediatric emergency room.  Luckily, it wasn't anything that time and Piadalyte couldn't resolve. But, as I sat in the ER that night and as I spoke to her doctor who called to check on her a few days later, I couldn't help but be thankful to God for the fact that we have insurance coverage, which allows us to seek medical attention any time we need it.  Unfortunately that's not the case for millions of Americans and countless other citizens of the world.  After the Supreme Court upheld the key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, I had every intention of writing a blog about the ramifications of the decision.  But, of course, life sucked up all my free moments.  However, as I reflect on my first stressful experience of having to care for a suddenly ill baby, I would be remiss in not acknowledging how blessed my family is for having insurance and what the Affordable Care Act can mean for millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans.

The initial passage of the Affordable Care Act resulted in an immediate lift for lots of families in that it established the maximum age at which a parent could cover a child on their insurance to age 26.  Prior to that, there was no regulation and insurance companies typically stopped covering a dependent child once they hit 18 or when they were no longer a college student.  Now, of course I'm hoping that by the time Little Sister turns 26, she will be independent and standing on her own two feet, but in today's economy, this was welcome news for families with adult kids who have "boomeranged" back home for various reasons and haven't quite made their way in the world. In addition, the new law includes provisions that prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to children under the age of 19 because of a pre-existing condition.  And most recently, on August 1, new provisions took effect that expanded preventive health services for women.  Now, many preventive services that women used to have to pay a co-pay to receive are mandated to be provided without cost sharing (NO CO-PAY!) on the part of the patient.  This means Well Woman visits, contraception, breastfeeding support, domestic violence screening and support and a whole host of comprehensive preventive health services will be available for women at no cost.

With the Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the law's constitutionality, states can move forward with developing Affordable Insurance Exchanges, which will allow individuals and small businesses to compare and enroll in a health plan that meets their need.  This means that come 2014, folks, like many of my family members and friends, who are employed but cannot afford their company's insurance or who are unemployed, will be able to turn to the exchange to find affordable coverage.  And unlike the old adage, "you get what you pay for," to be certified and offered in an exchange, the plan has to provide at a minimum Essential Health Benefits, which is a comprehensive range of services.  So, consumers can rest assured that whatever plan they select, there is a pretty good minimum level of coverage that can be expected.  While health reform is a political hot potato, the significance of getting this legislation passed and upheld by the Supreme Court is historic.  American legislators have been grappling with this issue since 1915 and until now, no president has been able to broker a deal between the powerful lobbies, special interests and constituencies that previously could not successfully come together to craft a solution.

But, having health insurance is only part of the equation to maintaining good health.  Having good health is influenced more by the decisions we make on a daily basis, such as what we eat, how physically active we are, and whether we are emotionally healthy than whether or not we have a primary care physician.  Unfortunately, in many pockets of the U.S., chronic and infectious diseases are taking a heavy toll.  However, my hope is that with the Affordable Care Act, with increased access to preventive care and tertiary care, all Americans will have access to the information and services needed to live long and productive lives.

By the way, Little Sister was fine after a few days.  Mama and Grandma, on the other hand, didn't fare so well.  The week ended up being a total bust for me because I caught what she had and ended up laid up unable work.  And I knew we were in big trouble on the morning I woke up and Grandma had been taken out by this bug.  Sadly, even Skip, the pup, got sick.  Needless to say, we were a sad, sorry bunch.  But, this week is a new day and we are all happy, healthy and well!

Food for thought...