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BY VALERIE ARMSTEAD

COMMENTARY

Balancing outside job responsibilities with the work of raising children brings a world of day-to-day worries. Like so many other families, ours carries the additional burden of long term concerns about the health of our children. Our oldest daughter has cerebral palsy and our youngest has asthma.

When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law two years ago, a great deal changed. As a physician and a parent, I want others to understand the magnitude of these changes—changes that are relieving thousands of families like my own from an oppressive burden of worries. The ACA made it illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage to children on the basis of “pre-existing conditions.” The law also put an end to lifetime coverage limits.

This week marks the 2nd anniversary of life-saving reform. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments in favor of the law’s repeal, it is important for Americans to understand the tangible benefits that are put at risk in this deliberation. Health security is not an abstraction.

In addition to benefits for children, the law now protects against gender bias. Insurers can no longer charge women more than men, or deny women coverage on the basis of “pre-existing conditions” like having had a C-section or having been the victim of domestic violence. (Yes, this was how things used to be in many places). And insurance companies can no longer drop you from coverage when you fall ill.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, women have more freedom and control over their own health care choices. The law guarantees women the right to choose their primary care physician from their health network, and it eliminates barriers women used to face when trying to schedule an appointment with an OB-GYN. All new health plans are required to cover benefits such as maternity care and newborn care. And now women can get preventive care for their children or mammograms for themselves without any co-pay.

As welcome as the benefits for women may be, I must return to what is for me the most compelling benefit. The Affordable Care Act upholds a fundamental principle of our society—that it is our job to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities. The ACA ends one of the worst insurance company abuses: denying insurance to a dependent child because of a pre-existing condition. Last year, roughly 19 million children had a pre-existing condition, 540,000 of whom were uninsured. This law gives parents all over the country peace of mind: they will be able to obtain care for their loved ones.

The ACA also institutes groundbreaking measures in coverage options. Families are now allowed to purchase child-only insurance packages to ensure that all children, regardless of their parents’ income, employer coverage, or immigration status, can and will be cared for. In today’s economy, it is a great comfort to know that our children’s health will not be affected by changes in parental health insurance coverage.

And if all of this weren’t enough, the Affordable Care Act makes great strides in establishing long-term health care goals for the modern age. The law requires insures to provide complete coverage for comprehensive screenings and preventative care for children. Because of this law,

14.1 million children can look forward to brighter, healthier futures without worrying about the cost of the most basic medical services.

Parents take the care of their children very seriously. Next week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments for and against a law that is already providing unprecedented health security for the people of this country. The stakes couldn’t be higher for all of us, and for all of our children.

Dr. Valerie E. Armstead, MD is Attending Anesthesiologist at Cooper University Hospital.