Should People with Cerebral Palsy (And Other Pre-Existing Conditions) Be Entitled to Affordable
Should people with cerebral palsy (and other pre-existing conditions) be entitled to affordable health insurance?
Up until 2014, health insurance companies could refuse to cover someone or charge a person more if they had a health problem (pre-existing condition). This made it difficult for people with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, cancer, and cerebral palsy to get affordable health insurance.
When President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (A.C.A or Obamacare), health insurance companies could no longer charge more or deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. They could not limit benefits or refuse to pay for treatments. Obviously, insurance companies would lose a lot of money if they were required to insure people with existing health problems. The A.C.A.‘s solution was to require that all people (including many healthy ones) to get health insurance to offset the costs of caring for all the less healthy people.
Recently, there had been debate in Congress about repealing (getting rid of) Obamacare. In a vote, the bill to repeal was narrowly defeated, so Obamacare remained the law of the land.
Scenario: You and your partner are happily married and proud parents to a 10 month old girl named Jocelyn. You noticed that she is having muscle spasms, can’t sit up, and has difficulty swallowing. You take Jocelyn to the doctor, who tells you that he isn’t quite sure what the problem is and will need to conduct more tests. Over the next few months, you take Jocelyn to numerous appointments and finally the doctor shares his diagnosis: Cerebral Palsy.
Although the doctor explained cerebral palsy for the next few minutes, you and your partner didn’t remember anything since you were stunned and shocked by the seemingly bad news. Upon arriving at home, you scour the internet for more information.
What is cerebral palsy? ______
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Describe some possible causes cerebral palsy:
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A family friend named Homer comes over to visit baby Jocelyn. You let him know that Jocelyn has cerebral palsy. A long pause signals that Homer has no idea what cerebral palsy is, so you explain it to him in the simplest terms possible. He then asks, “Can I catch cerebral palsy from Jocelyn? Is there a cure?”
You say, “______
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During the latest doctor visit, the doctor informs you that he has some relatively good news. Jocelyn (now 3 years old) appears to have a type of cerebral palsy called Spastic diplegia. Just then, the doctor is called out for an emergency. Once again you turn to the internet for answers.
Why might the doctor have said it was relatively good news that Jocelyn had Spastic diplegia? ______
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What types of treatment(s) could be used to help someone with Spastic diplegia?
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Under the Affordable Care Act (A.C.A. or Obamacare), you have been able to find Jocelyn health insurance for a reasonable cost of $200 a month. If Jocelyn did not have insurance, you and your partner would have incurred medical expenses of $450,000 in the 3 years since Jocelyn was born. You really don’t know what you would have done without insurance since you don’t have that much money in savings.
Without the A.C.A., people with pre-existing conditions often cannot find affordable health insurance. Anger is commonly directed at health insurance companies. Think about the situation from the perspective of the insurance companies. Why would it not make sense (as a business) to insure people with pre-existing conditions at the same price as more healthy individuals?
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Although a plan to repeal the A.C.A. was defeated in Congress, numerous politicians say they will continue to fight to repeal the A.C.A. A rally is coming up and you and your partner decide that you will attend to support the A.C.A. Jocelyn needs health insurance and you know that without it, your family would be bankrupted.
Why does Jocelyn deserve affordable health insurance? ______
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Is there another solution to the problem of affordable health care? (hint: Research what other countries do for health care)
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Design a poster that you and your partner will take to the rally expressing your views on affordable healthcare. 