ACA replacement must meet needs

THE REPEALING of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, would be devastating to New Mexicans. As a citizen of Albuquerque and a master’s in social work student, my work with the more vulnerable populations of our city would not be possible without the presence of the ACA. Per a 2016 report by the Kaiser Foundation, an estimated 27 percent of New Mexicans have pre-existing conditions that prior to the implementation of the ACA would have disqualified them from many health plans, myself included.

Some of the proposed replacements include highrisk pools, refundable tax credits and health savings accounts. High-risk pools do not incentivize health insurance providers to provide reasonable levels of care, or at a reasonable price to identified individuals. Proposals for refundable tax credits have included subsidies too small for those who need them the most, especially those deemed “high risk.” Per an article published in the Albuquerque Journal on Jan. 9, nearly 40 percent of New Mexican households earn less than $35,000, with one in four children living in poverty; to have a health savings account, a person must be able to put away a portion of their paycheck, which is often impossible if you are living paycheck to paycheck.

In the recent congressional address, President Trump assured the public that the ACA would be repealed and replaced by something more affordable, with better access for all . ... Without the ACA, myself and nearly one-third of our state’s population will be left without insurance. I implore our community members to critically examine new proposals, demand accountability from our leaders and let our administration know that as a state and as a nation, our needs will not be overlooked. ALISA DAMHOLT Albuquerque