It has been six years since the passing of the Affordable Care Act, and it is working. Because of the ACA, Americans have access to benefits like free preventive care and more coverage for prescription drugs; young adults can stay on their parents’ plans until they are 26; no lifetime limits on their insurance; and no unfair costs for women, or denials based on pre-existing conditions.
I am one of the Americans who benefits from the ACA because I live with a pre-existing condition, cystinosis. I was diagnosed with cystinosis around the age of 10 months old. The disorder is a rare orphan disease that causes the amino acid cystine to accumulate in the cells, it slowly damages my organs including the kidneys, liver, thyroid, eyes, lungs muscles, and brain.
Additionally, because of the ACA insurance companies cannot force lifetime caps on how much they are willing to pay.
If the ACA is repealed, I will suffer. I may not be able to access health insurance to cover my care and prescription drugs. Without it, I would never be able to pay for my prescription drugs because of the high cost, which is a challenge we are still faced with.
The ACA is a significant step forward, and we must fight to protect it. However, even with it one of my medications, Procysbi costs over $75,000 for a 30-day supply. That is just one drug, not including the other 28 medications that I am on.
We must do more, but first, we must defend the ACA from Republican attacks.
Join me in calling, writing, and visiting our Congressional Reps and Senators to tell them to stand up for Americans and vote down any repeal efforts.
Mika Covington 
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