Tomorrow is the 14th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, one of the most transformative pieces of legislation for people with pre-existing conditions. For people like me.
When I was a child, I was diagnosed with a serious illness and spent three months in the hospital. When I got better, my grandparents, who raised me, began looking for an insurance policy that would cover me in the future.
But they couldn’t find such a policy because of my previous illness. Not from any insurer. Not at any price. They had to pay for my health care out of pocket — and they had to make enormous sacrifices to do so — all because I was a child labeled with those words: "pre-existing condition."
I got into public service because I saw my grandparents stay up late at night, worried sick that I would fall ill again and that they wouldn't be able to afford my care. No one should ever have to go through that.
Like 133 million Americans, I know what it's like to have the label "pre-existing condition" attached to my care — and before the Affordable Care Act was passed, many of us could be denied coverage.
Now, insurance companies can no longer discriminate against someone based on their pre-existing condition. I championed health reform and fought to allow young people to stay on their parent’s insurance plan up to age 26. These policy changes have led to millions more Americans getting the health insurance they need.
But if Eric Hovde flips this seat and secures the Senate majority for Republicans, the Affordable Care Act will be on the chopping block and countless Americans could find themselves in a place where insurance companies, once again, write all the rules.
The people of Wisconsin did not send me to Washington to take people’s health care away, which is why I've fought against Republican repeal efforts and why I will never back down. But I can’t defend the hard-fought progress we’ve made without your help.
So before the ACA’s 14th anniversary, I’m humbly asking: Will you make a donation to my reelection campaign to defend our Senate majority? That’s the only way we’ll prevent Republicans from rolling back the progress we’ve made expanding access to affordable health care.
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:
I am not going to let anyone make me forget where I came from or why I got into public service in the first place. My experience has always inspired my work to do everything I can to make sure that every American has quality, affordable health care coverage and stand up against those who want to take it away.
As long as you're with me, I know we can overcome any challenge we may face on the road ahead and stop Republicans from taking away health insurance from millions of Americans once and for all.
— Tammy