Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Meehan lauded for opposing ACA repeal
SPRINGFIELD >> Sitting in his wheelchair, Nelson Vecchione joined about three dozen people outside of the district offices of U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-7 of Chadds Ford, Wednesday afternoon to thank him for opposing the most recent attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Born with cerebral palsy, the Drexel Hill resident was concerned that if the ACA, also known as Obamacare, was repealed, he’d have to choose between taking care of his medical needs or eating.
“I would be in a situation where I would be forced to either not get health care that I need or to sacrifice some other necessity like food and try to pay for my health care,” Vecchione said.
The most recent GOP health care proposal may allow insurance companies to charge people with pre-existing conditions exorbitant amounts for premiums. Supporters say $8 billion would be provided over five years to help some of those people pay for coverage. The measure could be voted on as early as today.
So far, Meehan has expressed concerns about proposals not accessible for people with pre-existing conditions. An attempt to reach him Wednesday was not successful.
However, a week ago, Meehan said plans with “skyrocketing” costs for those with pre-existing conditions was not satisfactory and he planned to keep working to create an alternative to the ACA that would make it more accessible and affordable for all.
People in the crowds Wednesday were thankful for that position.
“I’m very, very grateful that he’s taken this stance for his constituents and I just want to let him know that we appreciate it and ask him to stand firm,” Peggy Wilson of Drexel Hill said. “I want to let him know that we are supporting him because I know he is getting a lot of pressure.”
She was concerned about the impact on Medicaid through block grants or other measures.
Before her 92-year-old mother, Peggy Bradin, died March 17, 2007, she lived in a nursing home for 4 ½ years because of her frail condition.
“Once she spent her resources, then Medicaid kicked in to pay the room and board because Medicare doesn’t,” Wilson said.
She was also concerned about how much people would have to pay for care in terms of what the caps would be for insurance companies’ responsibilities.
Sam Flint, representing the group, the Bowling Green Patriots, also wanted to show gratitude to Meehan.
“(We’re) thanking Congressman Meehan for publicly stating that he was opposing the Obamacare repeal vote,” the Media resident said. “We are really pleased that he’s not buckling to the party’s pressure to repeal the ACA.”
He, like Wilson, wanted to see Medicaid retained.
Vecchione didn’t want states to be given the option to allow insurance companies to deny coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.
“Most states nowadays are fiscally challenged so they have a hard time finding money to pay for things that they need to pay for on a regular basis,” he said. “I feel like if that provision were allowed ... that a lot of states, and Pennsylvania might be one of them, would opt out of paying for people who have pre-existing conditions.”
That would put the 59-year-old in a precarious position.
“Then, I would have to pay out of my own pocket, which is an impossibility,” Vecchione said.
Holding a sign that read, “Health Care Should be UNconditional,” he said he hoped all elected officials would think about those who would be impacted.
“I just would want our congressman and everybody else’s congressmen when they’re thinking about adopting legislation and changing laws to keep in mind the people who are going to be affected by the decisions that they make,” he said.
He also said he felt in a wealthy country like here, health care should be a right, not a privilege.
“I think health care is really a necessity for people and especially in first world, developed countries like the United States, health care should be accessible and available to everybody and not depending on somebody’s ability to pay,” he said.