Surviving a system that doesn't value affordable healthcare

The reality of having a pre-existing condition is terrifying. The limitations that arise in everyday life are not known to most of society. It doesn’t matter if the illness or disability is invisible to the eye, it still exists and causes constant limitations. My name is Yamelisa. I am an advocate for the rights of marginalized individuals through my charity foundation, UNIDOS. I am also a community activist and the Director of the Mental Health support center Counseling Solutions of the Lehigh Valley. But these roles and titles have not been easy to attain.

At ten years old, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, a condition that would stay with me for the rest of my life. As a child, I was very afraid of needles, but during the days I spent in the hospital with my mother by my side, I learned that four injections a day would become my new reality. Like many others in our society who have pre-existing conditions from childhood, or even from birth, I have faced significant challenges. Like many people with limited financial resources, there were times when I had to ration my insulin, something extremely dangerous that can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis and even death. This is the reality for many of our neighbors and family members who do not have health insurance, or who risk losing it if laws in this country change.

When we reach adulthood and are no longer covered under our parents’ health insurance or public insurance, we face the difficulties imposed by laws that protect private insurance companies, which are not required to provide coverage to individuals with pre-existing conditions. Likewise, life insurance becomes extremely expensive or impossible to obtain. Healthcare is a human right, yet in the United States it continues to be a topic of political debate.

Now, with the appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, laws that protect human rights, such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as ObamaCare, are at risk of being repealed. This will affect a large percentage of people in the United States, especially those with pre-existing conditions.

According to ObamaCare.net, on March 23, 2012, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law. Since then, many have questioned its impact on the healthcare industry. The law was created to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for the majority of Americans.

Whether we are talking about diabetes, physical disabilities, autism, cancer, or HIV, we deserve to know our rights. You may be eligible for Medical Assistance (MA) even if you are working through the Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities (MAWD) program. If you have been denied medical assistance in your county, I recommend contacting the Pennsylvania Health Law Project, a nonprofit organization that provides free legal assistance to help you obtain the medical benefits you are entitled to. Thanks to this program, I was able to secure health insurance during critical years of my life, allowing me to pursue my career and thrive while living with a chronic illness like type 1 diabetes. Visit their website at www.phlp.org.

To ensure that these services, as well as my foundation and many others in our area, can continue, we have a duty to vote in every election, which occur twice a year. We have seen what happens when we show up and vote. In recent elections, Latino voter turnout increased by more than 60%, and we must continue making history locally, as these are the elections that impact us most directly.

How do we thrive in a system that does not account for our basic needs? By voting, advocating for ourselves, and seeking resources through community organizations dedicated to protecting those in need.

Published in La Razon Newspaper, December 2020