Congress is preparing to revamp health care with either a “public option” or a reduced age to qualify for Medicare. Melissa Davert shares why this move will be to the detriment of those with significant health care needs. Davert and her college-aged, twin children have osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that makes bones fragile, causes heart and spine issues, and short stature. Her husband has cerebral palsy. Despite these health issues, every family member works or attends college.

Due to their unique situation, the Daverts seeks reasonably priced health care through the private market, something they had before Obamacare took effect. Melissa discusses lifetime savings accounts, high-risk pools and “centers of excellence,” or a Medicare Advantage-type plan, as better ways to cover their needs than Medicaid. Due to government intrusion in health care, Medicaid seems to be one of the few choices her children have left. The family wants to work and save for the future, but under Medicaid, they are restricted from acquiring assets. The current system also makes their physicians go through hoops to get approval from insurance for treatment.

Host AnneMarie Schieber met the Daverts in 2014 when Obamacare went into effect. At the time, the family had to scramble to find care for the insurance Obamacare nullified. That video can be seen here:

Obamacare Causes Disabled Family’s Insurance Bill to Increase 300 Percent

Melissa’s situation was also profiled in a report by the Republican Study Committee in 2019.