Kevin Drum is a mid-50s guy with cancer. He is also a daily read for me. He outlines what the ACA now means to him:
If I lose my job, and Republicans repeal Obamacare, I will be left with a very serious and very expensive medical condition and no insurance to pay for it. And I feel quite certain that Republicans will do nothing to help me out.
Obviously lots of other people are in the same position, and have been for a long time. But there’s nothing like being in the crosshairs yourself to bring it all home. If Republicans win in 2016, my life is likely to take a very hard, very personal turn for the worse.
In a pre-PPACA world or a world where the Republican answer to PPACA is repeal and fuck you, Kevin is uninsurable for anything but a high risk pool plan that will cost him $1,500 a month with $20,000 deductibles and yearly caps of $100,000 or less. No insurer will touch him if they can medically underwrite policies.
Cancer can hit anyone, and under the Republican plan, a one time cancer diagnosis and recovery screws a person for life. Under the Democratic current law and future policy plans, that person is not screwed for life.
This is a real and concrete fear. Use that fear to defend the ACA.