AARP Member Talks Health Reform
By: State: Massachusetts | Source: aarp.org
Two years ago, AARP member Madelyn Rhenisch, 58, from Brighton was the first person to sign up for one of the health insurance plans made possible by the state's landmark health care reform law. She recently joined Governor Deval Patrick and legislative leaders at the State House in Boston to talk about how health care reform has helped her.
Here's part of what Rhenisch said:
"Having health insurance has made all the difference. It has given me security—and hope.
- I no longer live in fear of the next illness or accident.
- Instead of having to cut back on food to afford my prescriptions, I now pay $9 a month.
- I was able to call a doctor when my shoulder was injured, and afford the medicine that enabled me to sleep through the night.
- I now can get the routine care I need—and begin to work on actually improving my health and restoring it—so that I can go back to a life where I am capable of working, helping friends and family and contributing back to my community and state instead of just struggling to survive."
Madelyn’s Story
A graduate of Cornell University (BA) and Boston College (MBA, Masters of Sociology), Rhenisch pursued a career in human resources and organizational development, holding positions with major Bay State employers. About 10 years ago, as she was working and also pursuing a Ph.D., Rhenisch started to feel exhausted—so much so that she could barely move. A serious illness went undiagnosed for years, progressing until she could no longer work.
"I had gone to school, worked, saved for retirement and had health coverage," Rhenisch shared with AARP Massachusetts. "I was living a good, solid confident middle class life. Then I got sick, and the foundation of everything I built started crumbling away."
Having exhausted COBRA benefits, she could not get health insurance. With prescription bills topping $600 a month, surviving became a struggle. Rhenisch depleted her retirement savings in an attempt to make ends meet.
"Paying for my prescriptions came first, before food and rent," Rhenisch said. "Routine health care became impossible. I saved for a year just to go back to the doctor who was treating my illness. I lost the whole balance of my life."
Today, Rhenisch is focused on regaining her life. "I was working. I was upwardly mobile. I got sick and lost everything. Now, thanks to health care reform, I am rebuilding," she said.
Working for Social Change
When asked why she chose to share her story, Rhenisch said, "I have always worked for social change. I felt an obligation to stand up and say: This can happen to anyone. This can happen despite your best efforts, best plans, and hardest work."
Over 355,000 Massachusetts residents have signed up for health insurance since the state's landmark health care reform law took effect two years ago, reducing the ranks of the uninsured by half.
By law, every resident age 18 and older must have health insurance or face penalties, unless the state determines that premiums are unaffordable. Premiums are set on a sliding scale.
Next Steps
For some Massachusetts residents—especially those aged 50 to 64 who earn more than $31,000—health insurance may still remain out of reach.
AARP has called on state legislators and the Health Connector, the agency that manages health care reform, to make insurance affordable for residents age 50 to 64 by:
- lowering premiums
- expanding the definition of affordability to include all costs of care: premiums, deductibles and co-payments
You Can Help
Contact your state legislators today. Urge them to make insurance affordable for people 50 to 64 and redefine affordability. Visit the Massachusetts Legislature online to look up the email addresses for your representative and senator, or call 617-722-2000.
Other Resources
Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority (Health Connector)
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