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People Speak Out: The Affordable Care Act Is Helping Me

June 29, 2012 at 2:09 PM ET by Megan Slack

Summary:

Many Americans are already seeing benefits from the Affordable Care Act, from mothers who no longer have to worry about their children with pre-existing conditions losing their health coverage, to young adults who can stay on their parent's insurance plans until age 26, to seniors who are saving money on their prescription drugs.

The Supreme Court's decision to uphold President Obama's health reform law, the Affordable Care Act, ensures hard-working, middle class families will get the security they deserve and protects every American from the worst insurance company abuses. In fact, many Americans are already seeing benefits from the Affordable Care Act, from mothers who no longer have to worry about their children with pre-existing conditions losing their health coverage, to young adults who can stay on their parent's insurance plans until age 26, to seniors who are saving money on their prescription drugs.

Check out the videos below to hear from people all over the country who are benefitting from health reform.

Women & Families | Young Adults | Seniors | Small Business Owners

Women and Families

The protections and reforms in the Affordable Care Act have given families across the country peace of mind. In addition to offering free preventative services, insurance companies can no longer impose a lifetime cap on the amount of care they cover, and young adults under age 26 can stay on their parents’ plan. In these videos, women talk about the relief from stress and crippling expenses that health reform has brought their families. Read more about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act for women and their families.

JudyCare: Focusing on Fighting Cancer, Without Fear of Lifetime Insurance Caps

Watch Judy's story here:

Judy Lamb from Colorado is an inspiration. Despite fighting breast cancer that has spread to her bones and liver and undergoing weekly chemotherapy, she has a positive outlook on life. She is able to maintain her positive attitude partly because the Affordable Care Act has removed a tremendous burden: the fear that her health plan would stop paying for her treatments.

More videos:

Young Adults

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more than 3.1 million people under the age of 26 have health insurance through their parents’ plan. Watch as some of the young adults who have benefited from this policy explain how this security has impacted the plans they are making for the future. Read more about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act for young adults.

AshleyCare: Health Care Coverage Without Stress for a Young Adult

Watch Ashley's story here:

Ashley, a young woman from Scarborough, Maine, was born with Cystic Fibrosis, a life-threatening chronic disease. She spends a lot of time in hospitals getting special IV antibiotics, respiratory therapy and physical therapy to clear her lungs and fight infections. One month in the intensive care unit cost her about $144,000; her last stay was for three months.

Because of the health care law, the Affordable Care Act, young adults under the age of 26 may be able to stay on their parents’ health insurance, and for Ashley, this has made all the difference. Staying on her parents’ insurance allowed her to pursue her education to become a music teacher and to study instrumental conducting – at a pace she could handle with her health condition – and not worry about how to make sure she had coverage.

More videos:

Seniors

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more than 3.6 million seniors have saved $2.1 billion on their prescription drugs and more than 32.5 million people on Medicare have received a free preventive service. In these videos, you can see how these benefits are given seniors peace of mind about their health care. Read more about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act for seniors.

HelenCare: Giving Seniors Peace of Mind and More Money in Their Pockets

Watch Helen's story here:

From helping her grandson with his education to assisting other seniors at a West Philadelphia senior center, Helen knows there are lots of people counting on her. That’s why it’s a relief to Helen that she can count on the Affordable Care Act to get the care she needs at an affordable cost.

More video:

DavidCare: Making Prescription Drugs Affordable for Seniors

Small Business Owners

The Affordable Care Act has enabled many employers across the country to offer health benefits to their workers. Watch as they explain how that has helped their business. Read more about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act for employers and small business owners.

MarkCare: Creating Jobs with the Help of Health Care Tax Credits

Watch Mark's story here:

The Affordable Care Act allows employers to claim a tax credit for up to 35 percent of their health insurance premiums. Mark says that while his insurance rates have skyrocketed over the past 10 years, the tax credit gave him the ability to hire another employee to his current staff of twelve.

More videos: