Woman Whose Husband Was Saved By ACA Invited To President Donald Trump’s Speech

UPDATE 10:40 p.m. In response to President Donald Trump's first address to a joint session of Congress, Rep. Brad Schneider (D, IL-10) tonight released the following statement:

Tonight, President Trump attempted to turn the rhetorical page with what he declared a message of unity, but if the past five weeks have shown anything, it is that talk is cheap for this Administration and actions are what matter.

When we should be focusing on improving our health care system, the Trump Administration has embarked on an ill-conceived and irresponsible repeal plan that would leave millions without coverage, and even more without protections from insurance companies.

When we should be addressing our broken immigration system and the plight of DREAMers, the Trump Administration has launched a draconian crackdown on our communities and enacted a ban on refugees that betrays our values.

And while we should be bolstering our friends in an increasingly interconnected and dangerous world, the Trump Administration has alienated our allies and threatened to slash diplomacy.

If President Trump is serious about investing in our future, rebuilding our infrastructure, growing good-paying jobs, and supporting our veterans, then I am ready to find ways to work together with him on those shared goals.

But when and where he falls short, I will continue to forcefully hold the President accountable. I will always fight for an economy that works for everyone, quality education for all our children, and affordable health care that is a right not a privilege. We all deserve and must work together for a government that embraces the freedom, diversity, and opportunity of our nation.

DEERFIELD, IL — Congressman Brad Schneider has invited Tracy Trovato, an Illinois resident whose husband is alive today thanks to protections against lifetime insurance caps in the Affordable Care Act, to be his guest at President Trump’s first address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.

In 2013, Tracy’s husband Carlo was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of leukemia. In their insurance documents, they found a policy stating their family’s employer-provided plan capped lifetime medical services at a level which may not have been enough to cover the necessary treatment. However, due to reforms included in the Affordable Care Act which prohibited this practice, Tracy’s husband was able to receive the care he needed to enter into remission without fear of hitting a lifetime cap.

“Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, our family was able to focus on getting my husband the best possible treatment, not fighting with insurance companies for coverage,” said Trovato. “If my husband had been sick before the law took effect, our family could have been bankrupted by the cost of the care he needed. I worry that if President Trump repeals the ACA, our family could once again be just one major medical issue away from hitting our insurance cap.”

According to the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, 6.8 million Illinoisans have health coverage through their employer. In addition to allowing insurance companies to reinstate lifetime and annual insurance caps, repeal of the ACA would reverse many other benefits of those on employer-provided plans. These include the ability to keep children on parents’ plans through age 26 and requiring plans to offer preventative care such as health screenings, contraception and flu shots free of charge.

“The Republican plan to repeal the ACA is reckless not just for those who depend on the law for coverage, but also for the millions of Americans who receive health insurance through their employer,” said Schneider. “Because of the prohibition on lifetime insurance caps, families like Tracy’s no longer have to choose between health care and bankruptcy. I will continue to work to find ways to build on the progress we’ve made in the ACA and improve the law to ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care.”

Top photo: Courtesy of the Office of Brad Schneider