Instead of being tied to a job for the insurance benefits, Americans have the freedom to pursue their dreams. Ever since he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 10, Shawn Dhanak says he worried about what he was going to do when he was no longer covered by his parents’ insurance. He remembers his grandmother telling him, “You […]

These are only five of the millions of Americans whose lives have been changed for the better thanks to the ACA. Call it Obamacare, call it the Affordable Care Act or the ACA. Whatever you call it, you have to call it a success — because it is. March 23, 2015, marks the fifth anniversary of President Obama signing the […]

The King v. Burwell case could leave millions without health insurance. That’s not good for anyone. When Dawn Erina needed some minor surgery early this year, she was able to afford it. She could afford physical therapy visits, too. Without the surgery, Dawn would have struggled to do her job. When Dawn needed to refill one of her prescriptions, she […]

If you started enrolling before midnight on February 15, you can still get covered. But don’t delay! This post has been updated to reflect that all states have granted extensions. It’s not like there wasn’t plenty of advance notice. But if you were trying to sign up for health insurance and didn’t finish the process before midnight on February 15, […]

Brian was the picture of health before his diagnosis. He’s grateful he has insurance and wants everyone to get covered. Back in 2012, Brian Skibo had no reason to think there was anything wrong other than some work-related back pain. But when the pain didn’t respond to treatment, and he started getting headaches, his doctor ordered some tests. What the […]

If SCOTUS eliminates the ACA’s tax credits, Dolly and Chip would no longer be able to afford insurance — and the consequences could be life-threatening. UPDATE: After this story was posted, Dolly resubmitted an application for Medicaid and she and her husband were accepted into the program based on their very low income. So although they are no longer at […]

There’s nothing like a conference full of health advocates to remind you how far we’ve come — and how far we have to go. If you think the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is all there is to health reform, you could not be more wrong. It’s understandable, I suppose, that folks who don’t work in health advocacy might not be […]

A hospital denied her treatment after a stroke because she didn’t have insurance, but Obamacare changed all that. When Jae Stewart was 14 years old, she collapsed in the gym while playing basketball. The doctors said she had a heart murmur and sent her on her way, but little did Jae know this was the beginning of a lifetime of […]

His premiums are $500 less per month and there’s zero co-pay for the expensive medicine he needs to stay alive. When your life depends on taking your medication on time, every single day, it’s not something you take chances with. As a man living with AIDS, Dan Waszak was willing to pay as much as $1,480 a month for health […]

His medical bills would bankrupt him without insurance, which he might not have been able to buy before Obamacare. Things were looking good for David Wenzel in 2009. He was in the midst of starting his own business, which meant no longer having to work for someone else. But then he got the worse possible news: David was diagnosed with […]

If you haven’t signed up for health insurance yet, this program is a great way to go. The clock is ticking on 2015 open enrollment for health insurance. With the February 15th deadline approaching fast, the time to act is now if you’re not already covered. But getting health insurance is only the beginning. Then you have to put your […]