Why the Healthcare Bill Should Stand: A Personal Appeal

I realize that many are are against the new healthcare reforms, and believe that they should be repealed. I can only hope that this post can put a face on the need for the reforms, and may make you consider the issue from a different light.

My name is Meredith, and I am 20 years old. I have a disease called a Primary Immune Deficiency. My immune system does not produce antibodies correctly and parts are missing, and consequentially I get sick frequently and severely. I also suffer from Sjogren's Syndrome, Celiac Disease, and peripheral neuropathy in my hands, forearms, and feet. My greatest dream for as long as I can remember was to serve my country in order to honor my family's nearly 100 years of past military service, but my health issues disqualify me.

I started my plan of spending 8+ years in college last fall in order to become a Nuclear Engineer and hopefully work for the Navy someday. My insurance coverage from my parents will run out when I am 25. I will not be done with my schooling and the only option left to me if the healthcare reform is repealed will be to try and buy a policy from a private insurer. Due to my preexisting conditions, I would be considered in the "high-risk" category, and a policy would cost upwards of $16,000 a month. I doubt many of you could afford this plan, let alone a college student. To compound this, due to all of the health issues, I am currently unable to get a part-time job in addition to attending college.

Unless this healthcare reform stands, it could become a matter of life and death for me. My main medication, antibody replacement therapy for the Primary Immune Deficiency, costs over $100 a gram to make. I use 80 grams monthly, so that is $8,000 a month for that medication alone. Including all prescriptions, doctors appointments, medical testing, hospitalizations, ect., it costs over $250,000 to keep me alive for a year. Despite the cost, why do I deserve any less of a chance to live my life than anyone else?

I do not write this blog post lightly. I could be throwing away my future chances of working for the Navy, the only dream I have left, and the one thing that keeps me going. This healthcare reform is too important for me not to speak up and speak out. I realize to many people that I am merely a massive expenditure of money, something to be avoided like the plague.

I think if people take one thing away from this post, if one thing only.

I did not ask to be born with all of these health issues, and I do everything in my power to keep them under control.

I will never give up until the day I die. Until then, I will keep exercising 5+ times a week, even when sick, eating healthy, taking all of my medications, and being as proactive as I can about my health. I am also currently pursuing experimental treatment for my Primary Immune Deficiency, as all else has failed.

I refuse to simply lie down and die.

I want to live.

-Mer

For more information on Primary Immune Deficiencies:
http://www.primaryimmune.org/about_pi/about_pi.htm