Health care law keeps insurers in check

Before I get to the gist of my letter, let me make clear that I have wanted to pay for my health insurance for the entire seven years I’ve been working in Illinois, but as a substitute teacher I can’t even buy into my district’s plan. I have never wanted a handout. I just can’t afford $400 a month on a $21,000 annual salary. Now I can buy insurance and still have a car.

For decades, the insurance “cartel” used and abused us in ways both big and small. Refusing to insure certain children, discontinuing policies just because the insured got sick, raising rates for reasons that only they believed — these are only a few methods they used to line their pockets (CEOs earning seven-figure annual salaries!) while many of us literally suffered.

After years and years of debate, the government was finally able to step in and stop some of these companies’ worst practices. Instead of lowering premiums to entice us to convince our representatives to vote against the health care bill, the cartel spent $100 million on lobbyists to try for the same end. At the same time, they negotiated for parts of the bill that handed them millions of new customers on a golden platter. Now they’re fighting against those same provisions.

Clearly, this industry is in disarray and needs government intervention. The insurance industry had their chance to do right by us. They chose not to. That’s why I celebrate the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act. I celebrate at least some freedom from an industry that did its best to do its worst to our collective health.

Amy Robison

Palatine