Don't Let Them Take Our Healthcare!

I lived six years without health insurance, due to a pre-existing condition. What was my pre-existing condition? I had seen a therapist for depression and anxiety after my house burned down. Every insurance company denied me, even after I appealed annually and wrote numerous letters to all of the major providers. When I found out I was pregnant with Evan at 41- I had NO INSURANCE. I was incredibly lucky to find a California program that covered pregnant, uninsured women. They paid for my high-risk pregnancy and emergency cesarean delivery. Many other women, in other, less progressive states, will not be so lucky. 

I turned to Planned Parenthood for my annual checkups and breast exams during those six long years that no one would insure me. I would have had NO health care at all if it were not for Planned Parenthood. I watched a documentary on how many homeless women and mothers there are in the US. Many of them have become homeless after being bankrupted by medical bills. If, during these 6 years, I had been hit by a car, or gotten cancer, I would have lost everything. My job, my house, all my savings. I could have been homeless.

Last night, while we slept, the Republican Senate voted 51 - 48 to:
1. To end coverage for pre-existing conditions, veterans benefits, and aid to rural hospitals. (50 miles to an ER rural voters)
2. To remove discrimination protection for women in healthcare.
3. Against the provision allowing children to remain on their parent's insurance till the age of 26.
4. To cut off funding for the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
5. Against ACA contraceptive coverage and maternity care provision.
6. To direct committees to send budget legislation to defund and repeal the Affordable Care Act.

And by the way, they also voted to defund Planned Parenthood.
The house votes on Friday, January 13.

And for those of you who get health insurance through work, no pre-existing conditions,  and lifetime caps for coverage are back for everyone.

How can GOP representatives defend being the party of American values when they strip Americans of life-saving healthcare?  My Facebook feed today is filled with posts of friends who are cancer survivors, who have mental health struggles, who have sick children and spouses, all who will be denied healthcare for having a "pre-existing" condition. Some who will die if denied their expensive medications. CALL YOUR HOUSE REP NOW! They vote tomorrow to repeal the ACA. Tell them what this means for you!  (202)225-3121

Why I Turned to Planned Parenthood

I am pro-family and pro-choice, and I stand with Planned Parenthood. It’s reprehensible for the men of the Republican party to attempt to cut health care funding for women. Many times throughout my life, when I was unable to obtain health insurance, I have relied on Planned Parenthood for my medical care.

I'll never forget the day Planned Parenthood gave me the
happy news that I was preggers with this beauty.

When I was young and newly married, my ex-husband and I had our own business. (Isn’t that the American dream, Republicans?) And while we were building our dream, struggling financially and without healthcare, I turned to Planned Parenthood for care. Planned Parenthood was where I went for my first pregnancy test, and where I got the happy news that I was carrying my daughter Cristen.

Planned parenthood is where I had my annual exams, where I got my birth control, and where I went when I had medical problems.

In my late thirties, I would once again find myself without health insurance, due to a pre-existing condition. (My pre-existing condition? I had seen a therapist for depression and anxiety after my house burned down.) Every insurance company denied me, even after I appealed annually and wrote numerous letters.

I turned to Planned Parenthood for my annual checkups and breast exams during those six long years that no one would insure me.

And now, in a shrewd political move leading up to the Presidential campaigns, the House Republicans voted to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, claiming that tax-payers are funding abortions. Abortions are only 3% of the care that Planned Parenthood provides, and taxpayer funds do not pay for them. But yes, Planned Parenthood does provide abortions- and unless you are a woman who has been in the excruciating situation of having to choose, you have no right to judge. (A very close friend of mine was raped at gun point and got pregnant with the rapist's child. Should she have been forced to be further violated by carrying the rapist's baby? Or should she have gone to court to prove the rape, so she could have had permission to have an abortion?)

Republicans: How is cutting life-saving screenings for women all over this country "pro-life"?

If you are going to call yourself Pro-life, you ought to walk your talk.

Pro-Family, Pro-Choice, Pro-Life saving measures, Pro-Planned Parenthood

Pro-family, pro-choice, Pro-saving lives.

 Just a brief rant today to say that I am pro-family and pro-choice, and I stand with Planned Parenthood. It’s easy for the Susan D. Komen Foundation to cut funding to a faceless group of individuals, but I am putting my face to this cause. Many times throughout my life, when I was unable to obtain health insurance, I have relied on Planned Parenthood for my medical care.

I'll never forget the day Planned Parenthood gave me the
happy news that I was preggers with this beauty.

When I was young and newly married, my ex-husband and I had our own business. (Isn’t that the American dream, right-wing conservatives?) And while we were building our dream,  struggling financially and without healthcare, I turned to Planned Parenthood for care. Planned Parenthood was where I went for my first pregnancy test, and where I got the happy news that I was carrying my daughter Cristen.

Planned parenthood is where I had my annual exams, where I got my birth control, and where I went when I had medical problems.

In my late thirties, I would once again find myself without health insurance, due to a pre-existing condition. Every insurance company denied me, even after I appealed and wrote numerous letters. My pre-existing condition? I had seen a therapist for depression and anxiety.

So where did I turn for annual checkups and breast exams during those six long years that no one would insure me? Planned Parenthood.

And now the Susan G. Komen foundation is cutting their funding for annual breast exams, because, let’s face it, their VP of policy is a hard right-winger who had previously run a political campaign on a pro-life/anti-choice platform. Yes, Planned Parenthood does provide abortions- and unless you are a woman who has been in the excruciating situation of having to choose, you have no right to judge. Regardless of your political stance, abortions are only 3% of the care that Planned Parenthood provides, and the Komen funds do not pay for them.

If you are going to call yourself Pro-life, you’d better walk your talk. Susan G. Komen, the woman, lost her life to breast cancer, and this foundation was started in her honor. The mission was to save women’s lives so that Susan’s death would not have been in vain. How is the foundation honoring Susan, by cutting life-saving screenings for women all over this country?

In honor of Susan, and women everywhere, please sign this petition telling the Susan D. Komen Foundation to get their priorities straight and return the funding for breast exams to Planned Parenthood. (it is literally one click and takes two seconds)

Sign The Petition