Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of Mary and her son, two of my constituents from the Lakeview community of Chicago. Mary wrote to me on her son's behalf, expressing their deep appreciation for the Affordable Care Act and what the law has meant for their family. In 2001, Mary's son was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called Addison's disease. It occurs when your body produces insufficient amounts of certain hormones produced by your adrenal glands. When left untreated, Addison's disease can be life-threatening. At the time of his diagnosis, Mary's son was fully insured through his employer. Then, in 2011, Mary's son left his employer to pursue the American Dream of entrepreneurship and start a small business on his own. Leaving his employer to bravely chase the American Dream meant leaving behind his insurance coverage, too. He did not anticipate being denied coverage due to a preexisting condition. Up to this point, because of treatment covered by his insurance plan, he had been able to work to provide for himself and to live independently. As he got his new business off the ground, he went uninsured and, as a result, encountered several crises with his health. He avoided going to the doctor due to high costs and eventually ended up in the emergency room. As we all know, preventable emergency visits are a major contributor to the overall high healthcare costs that harm the entire system.…”