Trust Sherrill, Not Webber, With Your Health Care

Trust Sherrill, Not Webber, With Your Health Care

I have never written a letter to the editor before or been very politically active. But this year is not like most years. My youngest son is rolling off our health insurance this year, shortly after the Nov. 6 election, in fact.

My sweet, big-hearted son was born with a rare seizure disorder called Infantile Spasm. Most children with this diagnosis have a very poor prognosis and survival rate. He is also on the autistic spectrum with a diagnosis of Asperger’s. He has not only survived but grown into a fine young man, but a fine young man who has difficulty finding work that provides medical benefits. We have friends in England who pay nothing every month for their son’s life-saving epilepsy medication. It costs us thousands of dollars every month-- after insurance premiums.

The Republican Party’s history on health care is abominable. They fought against Medicare and Medicaid, and they refused to support the Affordable Care Act even though people were going bankrupt through no fault of their own just because they got sick. Last year the Republicans tried to kill the Affordable Care Act as their first legislative move and nearly succeeded. Even so, they have managed to weaken it and make it more likely that we will return to the days when a pre-existing condition disqualified you from getting insurance.

No one is more than one phone call away from hearing that you have cancer, heart disease, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. The list of life-changing, debilitating conditions is long, unfortunately. I don’t wish that phone call on anyone. But I wish the people who are not currently affected by poor health and high health care costs could be more understanding of those who are. Keeping health care costs affordable is not only the right thing to do, it’s insurance for the day when you get that phone call.

I do not trust the Republican Party to vote the right way on health care. I especially do not trust Jay Webber, who is about as far right in the party as you can get. That’s why I’m supporting Democrat Mikie Sherrill for Congress. I trust her to do the right thing for my dear son and others like him.

Mary Ruth Beaumont

New Vernon