As a mother of two young daughters, I often find myself worrying about their future. While I share many of the common parental concerns, a new anxiety has crept in: will the rising costs of healthcare make it impossible for them to afford health insurance?
Both of my daughters will transition into adulthood with pre-existing conditions. My older child has a kidney issue that doesn’t necessitate ongoing treatment, while my younger daughter has a variety of historical diagnoses linked to a congenital heart defect. Thankfully, they are currently healthy—energetic, intelligent, and facing nothing more severe than the occasional cold. However, their childhood health issues place them in a precarious position within what I term the “invisible risk pool.”
A recent report from the Center for American Progress revealed alarming implications of the American Health Care Act, which was approved by House Republicans. While this legislation prohibits insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, it permits higher premiums for those affected. According to CAP, individuals with even relatively mild pre-existing conditions may face costs that are thousands of dollars above standard rates.
This realization is disheartening. I envision my daughters—talented and kind-hearted individuals who aspire to make a positive impact—being forced to change their life plans just to afford health insurance. I worry that their dreams of homeownership will be stifled, or worse, that they will have to make sacrifices in their personal lives just to stay insured. The thought of them shelling out exorbitant premiums for coverage that may not even address their specific health needs is distressing.
Moreover, I fear that the new healthcare laws could enable insurers to deny coverage for treatments related to their pre-existing conditions. For my older daughter, this could mean no coverage for kidney or bladder-related issues, while my younger daughter could face restrictions impacting her cardiovascular, digestive, and respiratory health. In my most anxious moments, I imagine them in medical offices, with my older daughter being informed that a routine pregnancy test isn’t covered, and my younger daughter hesitating about whether to pay out of pocket for a chest X-ray for pneumonia.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently released a report outlining the “hierarchical condition categories” that determine high-risk expenditures for insurers. This bureaucratic jargon essentially means that these conditions are costly to insure, and individuals with them might see their premiums soar if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is repealed. Although my older daughter’s condition isn’t even on the list, I found specific codes for my younger daughter that could haunt her financial outlook for years to come.
My concerns aren’t baseless; they are supported by research. The Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a study in 2001—prior to the ACA—entitled “How Accessible Is Individual Health Insurance for Consumers in Less-Than-Perfect Health?” This investigation involved creating hypothetical applicants with various health challenges, such as asthma, breast cancer, and HIV. The results were telling: out of 420 applications, only 10% received standard coverage offers, while a staggering 37% were outright rejected. Among those accepted, many faced significant premium surcharges or benefit restrictions.
This is the grim reality we could return to with a repeal of the ACA, further complicated by the potential elimination of penalties for companies that choose not to offer employee insurance. Consequently, we may find ourselves navigating a precarious open market for health coverage.
Among the myriad concerns I have about the devastating effects of an ACA repeal, the thought that my daughters might feel compelled to leave the country for better healthcare options is particularly troubling. Who would want to live in a place where their birth defects can dictate their financial futures? As I reflect on the current state of healthcare in our nation, I can’t help but worry that the repeal of the ACA will deter the next generation from wanting to thrive here.
In summary, my fears for my children’s future health insurance accessibility are profound and all-consuming. The landscape of healthcare is shifting, and I can only hope for a better solution that ensures my daughters can pursue their dreams without the burden of exorbitant medical costs.
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