New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool is a lifesaver

It is very difficult for the general public to comprehend what life is like for a family living with a chronic lifethreatening disease. I am emphasizing family here because it affects the whole family — not just the family member with the disease.

First, there is the absolute devastating news of a severe diagnosis by a physician. No amount of literature, programs or movies will ever prepare you for this. Then, there is negotiating appointments for access to physician specialists that will be needed in critical time to save a life. This in itself is a full-time and challenging job for families and caregivers who are faced with these situations.

The second component in this situation is having proper insurance. It would be next to impossible for any one family to incur the accompanying costs associated with a life-threatening disease that cannot be cured but can be mitigated with proper and expensive treatments.

My daughter was 17 years old when she was diagnosed with a severe immune disease, hypogammaglobulinemia. The good news was that with monthly treatments she could live a normal life while living with a life-threatening disease. The downside was there would be overwhelming costs for the treatment and other associated health care needs.

After the third insurance company canceled her insurance, we were absolutely devastated. There was no way our family could cover the costs of weekly doctor visits, visits with specialists, medications and the monthly treatment that was sustaining her health. As a parent, this is something you never imagine having to deal with, let alone explain to your child.

Then we were told about the New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool. They are the only medical insurance plan that covers high-risk children and adults in New Mexico.

We immediately sought out this coverage. We were able to purchase the proper insurance that allowed my daughter’s continued treatments with our known providers, while not disrupting her medical care. It was a life-saving achievement to have access to the New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool. I’ve worked in the health field a majority of my career, and I knew that this was the only chance we had.

As a parent, I cannot truly articulate what it feels like to know that you have found a way to save your child.

After almost 20 years, the New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool still continues to provide her medical insurance coverage, but that is not all they do. The pool has advocated for her every step of the way, ensuring that she has always had access to specialists, medications and any treatments that can help. As she now faces the challenge of a liver transplant, we know the pool will continue to advocate for her as they always have.

The New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool has been a lifesaving institution for our family. It has meant that my daughter has been able to live a normal life with her husband and has given her the ability to be a mother to her two little boys.

Over the course of the last few months, I have watched the pool be used as political fodder and have seen lies about the pool reported as if they were facts. As a member of the board of directors of the New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool, I stand with the pool and welcome any questions that you may have. As a mother, I stand with the pool and will continue to fight for this lifesaving program.