#IAmAPreexistingCondition highlights health care fears
People with epilepsy, cancer, depression, diabetes, sexual assault survivors, disabled veterans and mothers and fathers with sick children are among those who've taken to social media using the hashtag #IAmAPreexistingCondition to voice their concerns about the Republican health care bill.
More than 150,000 posts with the tag have flooded Twitter over the last day. They're responding to a vote in the House for a Republican health care bill that could put medical benefits out of reach for millions of Americans and, in particular, jeopardize future coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
To health insurance companies, pre-existing conditions include a wide array of different medical issues, ranging from the life-threatening to the seemingly trivial. It can be a disease someone was born with, such as a congenital heart condition or cystic fibrosis. It can also include conditions and injuries that were diagnosed later in life but before they signed on for a new health plan, such as cancer, asthma, epilepsy, mental and physical disabilities, or even acne. Pregnancy and c-sections could also be considered pre-existing condition under the new legislation, some experts say.
Specifically, the MacArthur amendment to the bill would allow states to get a waiver to bypass the Obamacare ban on charging higher premiums for people with pre-existing conditions. The bill would let states set up "high-risk pools" to help patients instead, but critics fear it would not go far enough.
One man tweeted, "I'm a disabled veteran that suffers from PTSD #IAmAPreexistingCondition along with thousands of other veterans who suffer."
Another man simply listed his medical conditions and directed his words to his congressman: "Genetic Disease, 2 Liver transplants, Hepatic Artery aneurysm, Severe depression, Diabetes @repdavetrott Doesn't care." He included a photo of himself in a hospital bed attached to tubes and monitors.
A 27-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes posted a photo of the medical supplies she needs to manage her condition with the message: "What I use to manage diabetes so I don't have expensive complications later. None of it affordable out of pocket. #iamapreexistingcondition."
Even celebrities piped up. Actress Alyssa Milano tweeted, "My name is Alyssa Milano. I have anxiety disorder, 2 pregnancies, 2 c-sections and cystic acne. #IAmAPreexistingCondition."
Many tweets came from survivors of sexual assault worried that the trauma they suffered might leave them uninsurable.
One said, "I am an abuse survivor who was raped and now lives with chronic pain and depression and #iamapreexistingcondition."
Another woman tweeted: "Woman. Anxiety. Depression. Sexually assaulted. I'm sure there's more... #IAmAPreexistingCondition."
The bill, which passed by a narrow margin, now moves to the Senate, where leaders say it's likely to face numerous changes. However, the Trump administration vows the "main pillars" of the bill will remain in place.
