Dear Mr. President

I've been thinking about health care a lot lately and decided to write a letter to my representatives and the President. I plan to send the letters this week. Here is what I wrote - what do you think? Did I miss anything? Let me know.

Dear President Obama:

I am asking you to keep fighting for true health care reform because it matters more to people that they know. Like most Americans, I didn't realize that our existing health care system was letting down so many people. I did all the “right” things – went to college, worked my way up the ranks in a big company, completed my MBA, saved, bought a house, fell in love and married, and had children. We subscribed to the company health plan and were relatively happy with the coverage.

Then our world was turned upside down when our youngest child was diagnosed with profound hearing loss and cerebral palsy. I learned first-hand how great health insurance is if you are healthy, employed at a large corporation with reasonable health insurance rates and good coverage and how variable and challenging it is for people working at small businesses with hefty insurance rates and minimal coverage.

Recently, I lost my job and we had to change insurance. We worried about pre-existing conditions. We could not use the Cobra subsidy since my husband is able to obtain health insurance at the small business where he works even though the cost for his insurance is double what it would have been with the Cobra subsidy. We now pay 3x more for health coverage (vs. the large company) and have very little covered. The new policy has many exclusions, including cochlear implants and therapy for chronic conditions. As our family faces a lifetime of health costs we are learning more about the health care system than we ever imagined.

Although they might not know it, many Americans are one diagnosis/accident away from realizing how important it is for them, personally, to have the health care system changed. Specifically, we need to:

• Remove the pre-existing condition clause

• Eliminate lifetime maximums

• Strengthen the Medicaid programs to provide accessible, high-quality health care services to our children with disabilities

• Incorporate long term services and supports by including the CLASS Act and the Community Choice Act

Thank you for your continued fight to pass a true health care reform.

Regards,

Kristina