Background: This was a letter to the editor published in the public forum of the Roseburg News-Review, Wednesday, November 6th, 2013. I've attempted to avoid entering the fray over Obamacare (the correct name is the Affordable Health Care Act), but the cold, hard truth is that some people will die without some kind of affordable health care coverage. So far, Congress and the President have avoided making the needed reforms to Medicare and Medicaid, leaving "Obamacare" as the next best option.
TWO-YEAR WAIT ISN'T PRACTICAL
I don't believe in socialized medicine. However, I do believe that if someone pays into a system, such as Social Security, there should be some reimbursement if a person is entitled to it. Unfortunately, Social Security Disability allows some people to fall through the cracks, and the Affordable Health Care Act appears to be one solution to fill in those cracks.
Someone who has a terminally ill disease, but is too young to qualify for Medicare, must currently wait two years before Social Security will make the person eligible to receive Medicaid. I paid Social Security taxes for years, assuming that if a tragedy ever befell me, I would be entitled to medical coverage. I was wrong. A person must be "disabled" for two years before Social Security will provide that medical coverage.
As a stage three cancer survivor, I must wait those two years (assuming I live that long) before Medicaid will pay for my chemotherapy treatments. Thank goodness the Affordable Health Care Act will kick in January 1st and allow me to receive lifesaving treatments at an affordable cost.
Monte Muirhead
Oakland
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