These Parents of Kids with Special Needs Feel Betrayed by Trumpcare Vote – Kveller
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These Parents of Kids with Special Needs Feel Betrayed by Trumpcare Vote

By Joanna C. Valente

The Trumpcare bill, which passed at the House last Thursday, was a shock for many Americans, both Republican and Democrats (and everyone in between). For many families, it means programs and services supported by Medicaid could be cut–meaning their loved ones could suffer tremendously.

For one mom, this couldn’t be more true. 35-year-old Erin Raffety, a professor from New Jersey, recently told HuffPost that she feels “betrayed,” considering her 3-year-old daughter Lucia has a genetic disease of the brain. Because of this, Lucia has needed a lot of treatment, including attending a school that is capable of giving her attention she needs, like speech, physical and occupational therapy.

She explained how losing coverage of any kind would be devastating:

“She’s been on Medicaid since she was probably a year old. We try and be really outspoken about the amazing benefits the state of New Jersey, and also the federal government, provides families like ours. There’s no way anyone could afford the level of care Lucia needs, and not just the medical services, but the services she needs for her life to be full.”

And yet, the plan which Trump himself called “a great plan,” “could bring back annual and lifetime caps on coverage—even for individuals with employer plans,” according to HuffPost. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics stated to press  the policy is bad “for children and dangerous policy for our country.”

This is why many people, especially parents, are posting on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #IAmAPreexistingCondition as a way to show that many of us are preexisting conditions, and shouldn’t suffer because of our bodies–and because we aren’t part of the 1%.

Here are some heartbreaking posts by others:

Joanna C. Valente

Joanna Valente is the former Staff Writer at Kveller. Joanna is the author of Sirs & Madams, The Gods Are Dead, Xenos, and Marys of the Sea, and received an MFA at Sarah Lawrence College. You can follow @joannasaid on Twitter and @joannacvalente on Instagram.

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