November 12, 2015
By: Erin Lynn McDonald, Indianapolis, Indiana
Six years ago I left a job in real estate and foreclosures and went to work for a friend. It was a good opportunity but there wasn’t health insurance—and that became a problem.
When I was 39, I was denied coverage because I had pre-existing conditions. I had been treated for migraines and depression. Because my mother had breast cancer, I had a mammogram, and when that appeared inconclusive, the doctor ordered an ultrasound. Fortunately, I didn’t have breast cancer, but insurers were still wary.
I finally got a plan in the private market for a $400 monthly premium, which covered next to nothing. It did not cover my prescription medications, including my migraine pills, which cost $10 each.
Every couple of months, stress or something would trigger a debilitating headache. I had to ask myself: Do I take a $10 pill, or do I eat or pay bills?
Like millions of other women—and men—I went shopping for quality coverage when the Health Insurance Marketplace opened at HealthCare.gov. My first plan for 2014 cost about $300 a month after the tax credits. When I re-enrolled for 2015, I qualified for a larger subsidy, and my monthly premium dropped to less than $200. Today, my plan covers my prescriptions for only a $1 copay. That’s $1 for a bottle of 10 pills for my migraines, rather than $10 per pill.
READ MORE: What Did Erin Choose: Blinding Migraine, $10 pill or Obamacare?When I was 39, I was denied coverage because I had pre-existing conditions. I had been treated for migraines and depression. Because my mother had breast cancer, I had a mammogram, and when that appeared inconclusive, the doctor ordered an ultrasound. Fortunately, I didn’t have breast cancer, but insurers were still wary.
I finally got a plan in the private market for a $400 monthly premium, which covered next to nothing. It did not cover my prescription medications, including my migraine pills, which cost $10 each.
Every couple of months, stress or something would trigger a debilitating headache. I had to ask myself: Do I take a $10 pill, or do I eat or pay bills?
Like millions of other women—and men—I went shopping for quality coverage when the Health Insurance Marketplace opened at HealthCare.gov. My first plan for 2014 cost about $300 a month after the tax credits. When I re-enrolled for 2015, I qualified for a larger subsidy, and my monthly premium dropped to less than $200. Today, my plan covers my prescriptions for only a $1 copay. That’s $1 for a bottle of 10 pills for my migraines, rather than $10 per pill.
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