Diabetes Blog – Happy-Medium.net

There are countless quotes out there of famous people using the phrase, “I’d rather be right than…”. I thought a lot about those this week as I’ve watched Congress consider healthcare legislation again.

”I’d rather be right than be president”—U.S. Representative Henry Clay, 1838

Only there isn’t anything right about it.

The latest twist in the tale involves the MacArthur amendment, written by Republican House Representative Tom MacArthur of New Jersey, which relieves states from complying with protections for anyone living with a pre-existing condition. Oh, and those essential benefits that all insurers must provide through the Affordable Care Act? Under the amendment, states will get to decide what those essential benefits are. If there will be any at all.

Then there are the protections that state that everyone in the Obamacare exchanges must be charged the same for insurance, whether they’re male or female, living with a pre-existing condition or not. The MacArthur amendment provides an avenue for states to request a limited waiver in these cases, which would allow them to charge less for people not living with a pre-existing condition.

That means people who do live with pre-existing conditions could and would get cordoned off into high-risk pools that provide less coverage, but charge more for premiums. If this passes, someone my age, living with diabetes, could be looking at spending something north of $20,000 per year for health insurance.

But that’s okay, Republicans say, because they’re throwing an extra $8 billion into a fund to help those with pre-existing conditions. By my math, that’s a little more than $47.00 for everyone living with a pre-existing condition. Using our $20,000 per year premium, that’s less than 3 percent of one month’s payment.

“When history looks back, I’d rather be judged as solving problems and being correct, rather than being popular”—President George W. Bush, 2006

Once again, we are literally fighting for our very lives.

Perform a Google search for politics and morality, and you’ll get a lengthy list of online articles telling you that either morals do or don’t belong in politics. Regardless of how you feel about morals and politics, in this instance, morality is sitting firmly on the sidelines. It’s not getting invited to this dance. Don’t forget, Congress tried to exempt themselves and their staff from this legislation.

”I’d rather be right than consistent”—Winston Churchill, 1956

Actually, I think this situation is a little backward. The truth is, Congress would rather kill Obamacare than be right. They would rather let Americans die than be right.

There’s very little time. The House expects to vote on all this today. As of this writing, just 22 or 23 more No votes were needed to kill this cruel legislation.
THIS PAGE has every representative listed, links to their websites, and most importantly, their phone numbers.

Want to make it easier than that?
CLICK HERE to download the DPAC app. I’ve mentioned before how Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition makes it so easy to contact elected officials. Now, with the DPAC app, you can get timely alerts, take action without going to a website, and insert your own diabetes voice into the conversation faster and easier than ever before.

Let Congress know that you’re not going down without a fight. And if they try again, you’ll fight again. Our right to equitable, accessible, affordable care hangs in the balance. American lives are at stake.