Cancer patients, advocates rally for ACA protections

Cancer patients, survivors and their advocates joined forces outside the Salisbury office of U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.-1st, to deliver a message: Changes to the Affordable Care Act must ensure patients continue to get adequate and affordable coverage.

“Keep us covered. Don’t cut our lifeline,” they chanted while clinging to a lifeline of life preservers Tuesday afternoon.

The event was organized by the American Cancer Society, which is pushing the message that losing the patient coverage and protections under the current law would cut a lifeline to the more than 15.5 million cancer survivors living in the United States today.

“We want to make sure people have access to health care and it’s affordable," said Michele Williams, an ambassador for the group’s Cancer Action Network.

READ MORE: How repealing Obamacare would affect the Lower Shore

READ MORE: House Republicans unveil Obamacare replacement bill

Health insurance that is affordable and covers patients with pre-existing conditions is critical to 28-year-old Julienne Edwards, who has had a recurrence of colon cancer.

Edwards, an attorney who lives in Carroll County, part of Harris’ district, was diagnosed when she was 26. She said she had been suffering from stomach pains when doctors discovered a tumor blocking her lower intestines.

During emergency surgery, doctors also removed her ovaries when they discovered two tumors originally thought to be benign cysts. Tests to the ovaries later found the cancer had spread to them as well.

Last month, Edwards said she was diagnosed with a recurrence of the cancer, which is slow-growing.

“It’s kind of wait and see right now,” she said.

Her surgery and six months of chemotherapy that followed were covered under a provision in the Affordable Care Act that allows young adults to remain on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26. When she turned 27, she was able to get her own coverage even with a pre-existing condition.

“I was able to get a new policy, thanks to the Affordable Care Act,” she said.

RELATED: Dozens rally in Accomack to support Affordable Care Act

This week, the Trump administration released a draft of the proposed American Health Care Act that would replace the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare.

Harris said in a statement issued Tuesday that the American Health Care Act will maintain protections for patients with pre-existing conditions and allow young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance until the age of 26.

“Obamacare’s many failures are spiraling out of control,” Harris said. “For too long, Americans have seen their premiums skyrocketing, their deductibles soaring and their choices dwindling. The Obamacare path is unsustainable and dangerous for our country."

RELATED:  Harris switching to virtual town hall meetings

The plan will fix “the failing Obamacare system” and will drive down costs, Harris added, and restore control of Medicaid decisions to the states.

“We are working to make the transition from Obamacare to the AHCA as smooth as possible,” Harris said.

On Twitter @LizHolland5