Re: “” Jan. 6 editorial.
The Affordable Care Act has worked to save millions of lives. I myself, at only 26 years old, have a pre-existing condition that would have made most insurance companies deny me. In the past, I have had to jump through hoops to get the medical devices that can make the management of my type one diabetes easier.
Let me live a fuller life. I am afraid that if the Affordable Care Act is repealed, many like me will have nothing left once the dust settles. I’m afraid I will be left paying more than $1,000 for my medical supplies per month, leaving me to make the decision: Do I pay my rent or do I get my life-saving insulin?
Alaina Dougherty,Denver
Many agree that the Affordable Care Act has its problems and would like to see something better. But that doesn’t mean “repealing and replacing.” Instead, letap tweak it by keeping the good and changing the parts that haven’t worked, like legislators did with social security and medicare.
I’ve often thought that President Obama made a big mistake when he embraced ACA’s nickname “Obamacare.” The ACA is very complicated, and few understand it. Thus, if someone doesn’t like President Obama, they probably don’t like “Obamacare”, which should always be referred to by its official title: The Affordable Care Act.
Patricia J. Cordova, Denver
Prior to passage of the Affordable Care Act, a large number of Americans were satisfied with their health insurance. Yet President Obama and his central planners had a better idea: Let’s mandate insurance coverage for all. Let’s tell everyone it will cost them less. And what’s the harm in telling them if you like your doctor and your insurance company you can keep both?
The fatal conceit of centralized government is that their know-it-all experts can take something complex and make it work. Democrats during 2010 held the levers of power. They forced a poorly conceived and executed health care system on us that is now on life support.
The Washington and Denver Post editorials tell us Obamacare is not so bad and is fixable without repeal given bi-partisan cooperation. No, the ACA was created by coercive use of power and now it’s the time to pull the plug.
Forrest Monroe,Lone Tree
I would like to ask that all Colorado representatives and senators do everything possible to oppose repeal of the Affordable Care Act until Congress has a plan that is certain to pass that offers more affordable and better health coverage. Unless there is a replacement plan that will ensure that Coloradans can get coverage they can afford, repealing the ACA could result in hundreds of thousands of Coloradans losing access to the care they need.
With a middle class income, our insurance premiums for a $10,000 deductible were going to be about $1,400 before the ACA. Now they are $254. When you consider what people making the minimum wage are making (maybe $2400 a month for two people working full time), it is obvious that $1,400 per month health insurance premium for 55-60 year old people would be devastating and would leave an insufficient amount for housing, food and transportation.
The ACA has helped close to 500,000 Coloradans get health care and itap made our economy stronger. We should not risk all that we’ve gained.
Alice Amacher Neumann,Lakewood
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