So, in order for me to tell my story, I need to first tell another one.
Early in 2009, my wife had surgery to remove fibroid tumors. She's fine now, and thanks to our insurance and a wonderful doctor, we managed to afford it. My insurance comes through the small business I work for, so since we're on a group plan, we're immune from the pre-existing condition nightmare.
Then, we found out what we weren't immune from.
Two months ago, our small business got a letter form Blue Shield informing us that because 50% of our workforce is in Oregon and 50% is in California, they could legally drop us, and they did. Two weeks notice and we were all uninsured. Please note that our business has 4 total employees: My boss and his wife and two of us in Oregon. And they dropped us over some trite loophole and left us in the lurch.
We managed to find insurance through United Health. Order was restored.
But then things got serious.
Three weeks ago, my boss Mike had a hemorrhagic stroke. He's only 40 years old, and he's got two small children. As I write this, he's in ICU clinging to his life, and all of us are hoping he pulls through and has his brilliant brain and amazing kindness left when he recovers. He'll likely be paralyzed on one side. But in a serious bit of good luck, we got this insurance just weeks before this horrible accident.
Mind you, though, we're still at 50% in both states. We can be rescissioned at any moment. And if we lose our insurance now, with Mike in such a serious, long term crisis, we're screwed. His family, and those amazing kids, will be financially ruined at the same time as they watch their father struggle back from the worst life has to offer.
If this bill passes, they keep their insurance. His family will not be dealt this double blow. It will be better for them. It will be better for millions like them.
So when I see anyone, especially people who claim to be liberals, calling for this bill to be killed, it angers me. It makes me furious. People, real people like one of my best friends in the world, are depending on us to make changes, and petulant, whiny, self-important assholes are trying to kill it because they didn't get everything they wanted.
But hey, don't do it because I'm angry. I'm a self-important asshole too.
Don't do it for me.
Do it for Mike.