Letter: Sen. Brown is wrong on health care law

In July 15 op-ed in the Metrowest Daily News, U.S. Sen. Scott Brown wrote that the Affordable Care Act is bad for Massachusetts. He’s wrong.

The Affordable Care Act gives me and my family peace of mind. I live with a pre-existing condition (asthma) and will now have the security that insurers will no longer be able to deny me or charge me more for insurance coverage based on my chronic illness. After singly raising four children, my mother will no longer have to work until the day that she dies solely to have health insurance. She will be able to retire because the Affordable Care Act creates tax subsidies allowing affordable health insurance coverage. My sisters are scattered around the country in states that lack consumer protections. They will no longer be discriminated against by health insurers exclusively because they are women.

The Affordable Care Act is good for our small businesses. They get tax credits to cover their employees.

It’s good for our seniors. In the first five months of 2012 alone they saved on average $648 to help cover the cost of their prescription drugs.

It’s good for our young adults, who can now stay on their parents plan until they are 26.

It’s good for more of our working families, who will now have access to quality, affordable care that they couldn’t afford before.

The Affordable Care Act is good for all of our health because well over 780,000 people in our state have already received free preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies, or a free annual wellness visit with their doctor.

And you know what? It’s not just good for Massachusetts. I care about my friends and family members throughout the country who now have access to affordable health care. This is for them too.

That’s why I am a health care voter in this year’s election. Here in Jamaica Plain, we support the Affordable Care Act.

Kate Bicego

Jamaica Plain

Editor’s Note: The writer is employed by Health Care for All, a health care policy reform organization.

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