Category: Affordable Care Act

Courtney Rowe for Congress and her Interview with Mika

On By mikacovingtonIn Affordable Care Act, Bernie Sanders, College Debt, DemocratsLeave a comment

17798942_1840416086218309_2223149312025208280_nRecently, I interviewed Courtney Rowe who is running for Congress in Iowa Congressional District 1. 

Here are the questions I asked and her responses. Following them, I will give my thoughts on them.

Question 1: The average student-loan in 2014 was $28,950, representing a 56 percent increase from the 2004 average of $18,550. During that same decade, state funding for public colleges dropped from 62 percent to 51 percent. College is free in Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, while in France, public universities are free for students from lower-income families, and those from higher-income families pay about $200 a year. What would you do or support to reduce the cost of going to college or make it tuition free as it is in many nations?

  • Courtney’s answer: Increase Federal funding to make state and community college (including trade school) essentially free (no more than $50-100 per class).

Question 2: The Republican-controlled Congress appears to be fighting for corporations, insurance companies and for-profit hospitals in their effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Repeal would mean that 57 million senior citizens and disabled Americans with Medicare would see higher premiums and deductibles. Repeal would increase Medicare spending by $802 billion over the next ten years, according to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office. Repeal would also take Medicaid away from nearly 17 million people. I am one of the Americans who benefits from the ACA because I live with a pre-existing condition, cystinosis. The disease is a rare orphan disease that causes the amino acid cystine to accumulate in the cells, and it slowly damages my organs including the kidneys, liver, thyroid, eyes, lungs muscles, and brain. Do you support keeping the ACA?

  • Courntey’s answer: Yes, until we replace it with something better.

Question 3: 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 medication not including the 24 other medications I am taking. What do you propose which would correct the errors in the ACA?

  • Courtney’s answer: I support universal single payer healthcare. This is the most cost effective way to cover everyone.

 

In 2017, many transgender and intersex individuals still do not have access to high-quality comprehensive health care. Even when transgender and intersex individuals do access health care they are often faced with harassment and discrimination. Some of the issues that transgender and intersex  individuals face  include but are not limited to the follow, physicians and medical staff refusing to identify the individual by  their preferred name and pronouns (for many individuals it is difficult and sometimes even impossible for transgender and intersex individuals to correct their government documents to reflect their identities because of the cost and in some states a confusing process), insurance companies (including Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, and VA) refuse to cover gender conforming treatments including surgery, sometimes transgender and intersex individuals are even refused care by physicians and medical staff. What would you propose to correct these wrongs?

 

  • Courtney’s answer: I’m excited about the new TransCare clinic at Planned Parenthood in Cedar Rapids. I talked with Planned Parenthood about the deployment of this clinic. Even a place as progressive as Planned Parenthood needed training for their staff. My wife works as a Chaplain at Unity Point, and is working with their staff on making it a more inclusive environment, including designating gender neutral bathrooms. I support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and would also support a Medical Non-Discrimination Act. As far as addressing people by the correct pronouns, we could set aside funds for medical facilities who want to get the training, and add a designation medical facilities could use to identify themselves.

Question 5: Over eight in 10 (85 percent) LGBTQIA students experienced verbal harassment based on a personal characteristic, and nearly two-thirds (66 percent) experienced LGBTQ-related discrimination at school (GLSEN School Climate Survey 2015). Most LGBTQ students report that they’ve heard homophobic remarks (56 percent) and negative remarks about gender expression (64 percent) from school staff (GLSEN School Climate Survey 2015). LGBTQ students who experienced high levels of anti-LGBTQ victimization were twice as likely to report they do not plan to pursue post-secondary education. Also, LGBTQ students who experienced high levels of anti-LGBTQ victimization and discrimination had lower GPAs, lower self-esteem and higher levels of depression (GLSEN School Climate Survey 2015). What would you do to protect LGBTQIA students? Federal Anti-discrimination law?  

  • Courtney’s answer: Federal funding for anti-bullying training for school administrators and teachers. Also, by making college free/cheap, we help the LGBTQIA kids who leave their homes as teenagers. Right now to apply for FAFSA you must enter your parent’s tax information until you’re 25. This means kids running from abusive homes, can’t even get loans for college. Federal funding for anti-bullying training for school administrators and teachers. Also, by making college free/cheap, we help the LGBTQIA kids who leave their homes as teenagers. Right now to apply for FAFSA you must enter your parent’s tax information until you’re 25. This means kids running from abusive homes, can’t even get loans for college.

Question 6: In 20 states and DC prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In two other states, they include sexual orientation but not gender identity. In 19 states and DC prohibit discrimination in public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In two other states, they include sexual orientation but not gender identity. In 20 states and DC, they prohibit discrimination in housing based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In two other states, the include sexual orientation but not gender identity. What will you do to ensure full federal civil rights for LGBTQIA individuals?

  • Courtney’s answer: I support a fully inclusive ENDA Employment Non-Discrimination Act. We can’t leave out our trans brothers, sisters, and gender non conforming siblings when we pass this legislation.

Question 7: Since 2013, there have been over 200 school shootings in America — an average of nearly one a week (https://everytownresearch.org/school-shootings/). Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that on an average day, 93 Americans are killed with guns. What gun laws and or reforms do you support?

  • Courtney’s answer: I think most gun laws approach this problem incorrectly. They focus on banning a type of weapon, which isn’t the cause of most gun deaths. We have to look at the people who cause these deaths to correctly address this issue. I propose a ‘Responsible Gun Owner’ law which would focus on gun safety education to address accidental shootings, minimum gun storage standards (all guns should be stored in a safe), gun buy back programs in cities to help remove guns from high crime areas, temporary gun holds for people charged with domestic violence (to prevent the high rate of current/former husband/boyfriend killings/shootings of wives/girlfriends), increased access to mental health care to prevent the high rates of suicide and murder suicides by guns.

Question 8: Do you support comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship?

  • Courtney’s answer: Yes. When people are not documented, they no longer have access to law enforcement to report other crimes. This makes it easier for crime to persist, and it affects everyone. We need to document everyone who is here. If people are here, not criminals, and have established a productive life here, we should document them and get them in the tax system under their own SSN. There should be a path to citizenship for those who meet the above qualifications, but it should not be a direct amnesty program.

Question 9: Do you support the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors), DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans), DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), TVDL (Temporary Visitor’s Driver’s License), and UAFA (Uniting American Families Act)?

  • Courtney’s answer: I’m not familiar with the specifics of each of these acts to say I support them in their current form. I support the concepts behind these acts, which is documenting everyone, not punishing people who arrived in this country as children, and not breaking up families by deporting law abiding citizens who are productive members of society.

Question 10: Do you support replacing the minimum wage with a “living wage”?

  • Courtney’s answer: I support a $15 per hour minimum wage.

Question 11: What is your stance on the Trans-Pacific Partnership?

  • Courtney’s answer: I oppose the TPP because it would prevent America from making it’s own laws if they negatively impacted any multi-national corporations profits. It also establishes free trade with not similarly situated nations (Mexico (already there under NAFTA), Malaysia, and the Philippines). Free trade with similarly situated nations (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan) is a good thing. It expands our economy. However trade with countries with drastically lower wages and few worker protections, creates slave labor countries. This reduces the value of labor in our own country, and allows multi-national corporations to oppress workers in poorer countries. We can trade with these countries, but we need to carefully craft the trade to ensure labor is valued.

Question 12: Do you support “too-big-to-fail” legislation?

  • Courtney’s answer: I support creating a hard barrier between investment and consumer banking. I did support the bailout, because we had to do that to prevent the economy from crashing. Now we need to create the necessary regulations to prevent that situation from occurring in the future.

Question 13: Do you support a 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act?

  • Courtney’s answer: Yes.

Following her answers, I had a couple follow-up questions and here they are.

Question 3 you said, “I support universal single-payer health care. This is the most cost effective way to cover everyone.” I support Medicare for All as well. However, it is something that will take time to get to. Thus, in the meantime what do you propose to curb the cost of prescription drugs? 

  • Courtney’s answer: I support Sen Sanders effort to allow for the importing of prescription drugs from reliable countries, like Canda. I myself am on an autoimmune prescription that costs around $650 per month. In Canada it is only around $100. Furthermore, although I would like to see Medicare for All or Single Payer healthcare, and if elected would work tiresly toward that goal, I would support any legislation that would make healthcare more affordable and accessible to all Americans.
Question 5 you said, “Federal Anti-discrimination law. Federal funding for anti-bullying training for school administrators and teachers. Also, by making college free/cheap, we help the LGBTQIA kids who leave their homes as teenagers. Right now to apply for FAFSA you must enter your parent’s tax information until you’re 25. This means kids running from abusive homes, can’t even get loans for college.” I agree with you. However, I do not support ENDA because of HRC’s debatable ethics of compromising away our rights through religious exemptions. I do support adding “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the 1964 Civil Rights Act without any religious exemptions in the form of the Equality Act. Would you support such legislation?
  • Courtney’s answer: #5 There have been many versions of the ENDA, which is why it can be hard to offer support of a particular draft of legislation. I think we should be careful in offering religious protection beyond the 1st Amendment. The 1st Amendment already protects religious institutions and offers people the ability to practice their religion. It is important to ensure that the language of a law does not violate the 1st Amendment protections, but we should not attempt to provide additional protection. I personally helped the committee of my denomination, the United Church of Christ, in the wording for our 2015 resolution at Synod against ‘Religious Freedom’ laws that are used to legalize discrimination. This resolution was passed, and the text can be found here:

My responses to her answers.

Question 1: I support what she is saying here but I am unsure if she supports tuition-free debt free college and universities from her answer. It seems to me that she only supports increasing funding to higher education and making community college tuition-free. But again, I am not sure what she is saying.

Question 2: I support and agree with her.

Question 3: I agree with her answer, however, I would hope she also supports adding further regulations on prescription drugs and allowing the federal government (Medicare and Medicaid) to negotiate prescription drug prices.

Question 4: I understand what she is saying. Nonetheless, I would hope that she would require health care professionals to add individuals to be referred to as they prefer including recognising their gender however they identify.

Question 5: I would hope that she supports a fully inclusive federal anti-bullying and anti-harassment bill. Which by the way we do not have.

Question 6: Well, that is great that she supports employment protections and the first amendment allowing religious protections. However, does she support protections in public accommodations, housing, and credit? This all would be provided by the Equality Act which she has not stated whether she supports.

Question 7: I am sorry but guns are not the cause of most gun deaths!? What the hell!? I do support her idea as a ‘Responsible Gun Owner’ law but I still believe that some kinds of guns must be banned, like an assault rifle, and high capacity magazines.

Question 8: I do support an amnesty program, with some restricts for instance on persons who have committed serious crimes. Not drug convictions or traffic violations. I do not believe that having a drug conviction or traffic violation should result in losing your immigration status or citizenship.

Question 9: I am glad that she supports these laws and bills.

Question 10: Awesome! We need more people who support a living wage.

Question 11: I am glad she opposes TPP, but I also am opposed to free trade. It should only be fair trade ensuring equal protections for all workers no matter what country they live in.

Question 12: I was hoping she would be in favor of Sen. Sanders “Too-Big-To-Fail-Too-Big-To-Exist” Act.

Question 13: Awesome!

If you wish to learn more or ask her question please visit her page here: https://www.facebook.com/courtneyroweforcongress/

 

 

 

 

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Depression

On By mikacovingtonIn Affordable Care Act, Gender Identity1 Comment

fotolia_42927929_subscription_monthly_xxlOn December 31, 2016, I lost my health insurance. Ever since June of 2016, I have been fighting with the Social Security Administration to appeal their decision that I am no longer medically disabled.

Losing the insurance has led to me being unable to get several of my medications, which led to my depression worsening. The depression progressed to the point where on January 20, 2017, I attempted suicide. I took a couple extra of two of my medications then realized shortly after what I was doing and understood that the thoughts I was experiencing were not healthy, and I would be letting someone else win. Therefore, I went to the Emergency Department at the University Hospital.

At the hospital, I was evaluated and observed for several hours. They were not able to prescribe new anti-depressants to see a psychologist. Thus, they set up an appointment, and I went on my way.

The depression did not just go away. The following Sunday, I went to the National Institutes of Health in Maryland.

At the NIH, my depression was made worse because the NIH had not updated their records and still had me listed by my old name. And at the security gate, they printed my pass with that old name, and I had to explain that yes that was me.

Furthermore, when I signed in at the clinic, I had to sign in using the old name. When the nurse called, me she called me “Mr. Covington.” I was humiliated as I walked up to the nurse and she told me that no she was looking for a “Mr. Covington” and that she wanted to know where “he” was.

I was forced to stand there in the lobby and try to inform her that I was indeed the patient. She just stood there looking me up and down before she had me follow her to a room where she became defensive while asking me to show her my ID, which of course said Mika Jayne which is the legal name. This led to more questions and a terrible attitude from the nurse.

Throughout my time at the NIH I was called by male pronouns even after I asked them to call me by female pronouns. Some even went out of their way to be loud when talking to me about why the system still has the old name.

Therefore, my depression and gender dysphoria were made even worse, and while I was there, I had suicidal thoughts again.

I previously loved going out to the NIH. I loved flying and going to a beautiful city. This time I was feeling angry and even hurt throughout most of the visit. This led to an emotional breakdown at the final appointment with the whole team and the nurse I had been seeing since I was an infant.

synergy-research-centers-major-depressive-disorder-infographicRecently, I have been seen by a psychologist who diagnosed me with major depressive disorder (MDD). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), MDD presents with depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities for more than two weeks and impaired function in social, occupational, and educational activities. Additionally, MDD is a significant mental health condition that can affect every aspect of life.

I am not proud of my suicidal actions, but I know that mental health care is important and I know that it is not easy to just deal with it without help. My advice is to seek help and if you are having suicidal thoughts go to the nearest Emergency Department. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or call the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386.

Do you want to help fight for mental health care? Then, here are some ways to help out. Call your U.S. Representative and Senators to tell them you support the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Currently, the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans want to repeal the healthcare law. Keeping the ACA is important for mental health and substance abuse treatment as one of 10 “essential benefits” that health plans must include. It also included a ban on excluding people with pre-existing conditions.

Speak out, call and write your Reps and Senators tell them to support health care.

Call your Rep or Senator here: House, Senate

 

I really liked this video and how depression feels, it is not PG.

Effects of Repeal

On By mikacovingtonIn Affordable Care ActLeave a comment

aca-imageThe Senate has passed the first step of repealing the Affordable Care Act on a vote of 51-48, and the House did the same by a vote of 227-198. This first phase included a budget blueprint that includes the repeal.

Democrats in Congress fought this budget blueprint and even tried to pass amendments which would allow imports of prescription drugs from Canada. However, some Democrats for whatever reason voted down that amendment. Amendments that would protect rural hospitals and ensure the continued access to health insurance for people with pre-existing conditions (The New York Times).

Specifically, repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would mean that 57 million senior citizens and disabled Americans with Medicare would experience higher premiums and deductibles. Repeal would also increase Medicare spending by $802 billion over ten years, according to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office.

With the repeal of the ACA, companies would no longer have to keep young adults on their parents’ plans until they turn 26. Additionally, with repeal employers would be allowed to impose annual or lifetime limits on benefits and caps on out-of-pocket spending. Further, insurers could ban works with a pre-existing condition or ask them to pay more. Even further, with repeal insurers could charge a woman more than men just because of their gender. Repeal would also take Medicaid away from the nearly 17 million people who gained access because of the ACA (CNN).

Repeal of the law would result in the number of uninsured people to rise by 24 million by 2021. It would also mean the increase of State spending on health care by $68.5 billion, according to the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Therefore, repeal of the ACA is costly, and we will leave millions of Americans without health insurance. We must stand up against this Republican attack on health care in America.

I am one of the Americans who benefits from the ACA because I live with a pre-existing condition, cystinosis. The disease is a rare orphan disease that causes the amino acid cystine to accumulate in the cells, and it slowly damages my organs including the kidneys, liver, thyroid, eyes, lungs muscles, and brain.

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 many of my medications because of the high costs.

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 medication not including the 28 other medications I am taking.

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 effort.

Call your Rep or Senator here: House, Senate

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Defend the ACA

On By mikacovingtonIn Affordable Care ActLeave a comment

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.

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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.

Join one of these events to Save Health Care: Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids
Call your Rep or Senator here: House, Senate

2016

On By mikacovingtonIn 2016 Election, Affordable Care Act, Bernie Sanders, Democrats, PsychologyLeave a comment

 

This past year has been very exciting and challenging. Many events have taken place. Let’s begin with January.

In January, I started working for the Bernie Sanders campaign. On the campaign, I worked under a field organizer to help ensure they met all of their goals. I was working in Iowa on the caucuses where I was based in Council Bluffs and also did organizing in Harrison County.

On February 1st, Sen. Sanders won half the Iowa delegates. Iowa was a tie this was huge news for the Bernie Sanders campaign. The official results were 49.8% for Clinton and 49.6% for Sanders. Therefore, Sen. Sanders won 696.82 state delegates, and Hillary Clinton won 700.9.

2016Caucus

Locally, Pottawattamie County, which was supposed to be a stronghold for Hillary Clinton went to Bernie Sanders, 50.7% to 49%. Further, in my precinct, Council Bluffs 11, it went 62.5% for Sanders and 37.5% for Clinton.

Bernie Sanders had a great showing in Iowa for a long-shot candidate.

Following the Iowa caucuses, I began working in Nebraska on their caucuses as a Field Organizer. During this part of the campaign, I was based in Lincoln. Thus, on the weekends I would spend my time there and weekdays in Council Bluffs organizing in Omaha and Dodge County, NE because I was still a full-time student at Iowa Western Community College.

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After the Nebraska Caucuses, I went back to working in Iowa, but now I was organizing the Sanders campaign participation in the County and District Conventions. We worked to make sure that Sen. Sanders would get a fair representation of the delegation he won on the night of the caucuses.

I also worked in Kansas on their District Conventions doing the same job and in Colorado on their State Convention doing similar work, but I also had the opportunity to monitor the official counting of the ballots and helped with the certification of those ballots as the Sanders, campaign representative.

Moving forward, in June at the Iowa Democratic State Convention, I ran for Democratic National Committee (DNC) member. I did lose the election. Together we won. We won at the state conventions around the nation, in California, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, and Washington.

Even though I lost, we won, because we won enough votes to show a strong standing against the party establishment demonstrating that we want change.

Specifically, at the Iowa State Convention, we passed one of the most progressive Democratic State platforms.

  • Calling for single-payer healthcare
  • Supporting the death with dignity act
  • Protecting LGBTQIA elders against discrimination
  • Support of health insurance coverage for transgender individuals
  • Support of tuition-free state college and universities
  • Opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership
  • Support of equal human rights for Palestinians and Israelis.
  • Calling for 100% renewable energy by the year 2025.
  • Opposition to fast-tracking trade agreements.

The convention even agreed to a plank calling for the abolishment of superdelegates.

…

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In July, I officially came out in support of Hillary Clinton. This was after 29 million people voted in the Democratic primary. Bernie Sanders won 1,831 national delegates, 13 million votes, and Hillary Clinton won 2,220 national delegates.

It was an honor to have volunteered and been a staffer for Senator Sanders. Together, we began a revolution to transform American politics and that revolution continues. We fought and are fighting for a government that works and represents us all, not just the one percent.

…

In August, I moved to the University of Iowa to get my Bachelor’s degree in psychology and perhaps sociology. At the University of Iowa, I have taken the following classes, Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical Psychology, and Sociological Theory.

However, moving to Iowa City wasn’t all fun because a couple of things happened after I got here. I received terrible news of a friend passing away. Her name was Pauline Beck.

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Pauline was a great person who would do anything for the people she loved. She even had an impact on many lives by her generous heart. She was a friend to many and was like a mother to others.

I first met Pauline the first day she walked into the 2016 Bernie Sanders office in Council Bluffs, Iowa. From that day forward she was in the office nearly every day. She took care of many of the needs of the office, or she would find someone who could. She provided many home cooked meals, cleaned the office, and made many creative decorations.

She is greatly missed by many.

…

Then we have November where Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost the undemocratic Electoral College vote to Donald Trump. We lost the battle but not the war.

On November 10, the vote total was 59,695,628 popular votes and 279 electoral votes for Donald Trump to 59,920,291 popular votes and 228 electoral votes for Hillary Clinton which her lead would grow to nearly 3 million votes.

As a progressive Democrat, I was proud to have voted for Hillary Clinton, and I am deeply saddened by the results of this election.

Even though Democrats did not win back the Senate as expected or gain more seats in the House; Democrats did not lose everything. Just look at the states. In states like California, Nevada, Washington, Colorado, and others they all passed progressive ballot measures.

Arkansas

  • Legalized medical marijuana

California

  • New background checks for ammunition and prohibits possession of large capacity magazines
  • Legalized marijuana for use by adults 21 and over

Colorado

  • Raised the minimum wage
  • Allow terminally ill patients to end their life with assistance of a doctor

Maine

  • Legalized marijuana for use by adults 21 and over
  • Raised the minimum wage

Massachusetts

  • Legalized the possession of marijuana

Montana

  • Legalized medical marijuana

Nevada

  • Expanded gun background checks
  • Legalized marijuana

North Dakota

  • Legalized medical marijuana

Washington

  • Increased the minimum wage

14956434_1272438012819316_4901109538472250760_nAdditionally, in November Blair Lawton announced that he would run for Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party and I threw my support behind him.

I support Blair for the position because of his experience working on campaigns and his ideas on how to rebuild our party. Blair believes in contesting every legislative race and spending less time courting big donors and more time building grassroots donations from activists.

20160412_114409On December 5, I announced my candidacy for Vice-Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party. The election will be held on January 21.

I am running for Vice-chair because I want to give back to the party that has fought for my civil rights and fights for health care for all. I am running because I want to rebuild the party.

My passion stems from the fact that I know that if I want to have rights, I need to step up and fight for them.

…

Half of the year, I have been fighting for health insurance because the Social Security Administration decided that I am no longer medically disabled. However, the issue is that they not only want me to go to work which is fine but they terminated my health insurance, and I am left to my own devices to find health insurance. Meaning that I must find health insurance that will cover my medications including anti-rejection and cystinosis medications, which add up quickly, one of the drugs alone Procysbi cost over $63,000 for a 30-day supply.

This on-going battle with the Social Security Administration is quite stressful and demeaning. Especially because of the psychological evaluation, an enormous amount of paperwork, and calls I have endured during the last six months.

Participating in a psychological evaluation to determine if one need help through the Social Security Administration can be hurtful and demeaning especially when the psychologist has their biases against the client.

From the beginning, she was expecting a male and instead got me. On top of that, I was involved with the Democratic party.

Therefore, reading her evaluation makes one feel inferior and worthless. Specifically, in the evaluation notes, she states, “She appeared to be low average intellectual ability,” and she did this without doing any intelligence assessments. But we cannot forget how she calls me male several times.

…

How would I rate 2016?

The first part of the year was awesome I was full of hope and energy but as the year went on that energy and hope drained.

Currently, I have little hope for a better future, and my energy is draining fast. This is because of these recent events with Hillary Clinton losing, Democrats losing control of the Senate in Iowa, not gaining control of the U.S. Senate, and not to forget this on-going battle that I keep fighting with the Social Security Administration. I seem to be losing this fight, and I keep getting this feeling that hits me in the gut, it feels like I’ve already been defeated.

Nevertheless, with the hope I have, I will fight on!