Letter to the editor: Health insurance in need of reform | Letters to the Editor

When my son was diagnosed with severe asthma, our main concern was accessing the right inhalers and medications. We needed to ensure he was always prepared should an attack arise. What we were not prepared for, were the numerous challenges we would face from our insurance provider. Repeatedly, our insurance would deny the medications that my son’s breathing specialist would prescribe. While we were able to finally get them to cover his inhaler, they are now requiring that each year we have to go through the prior authorization process all over again, which means my son could go weeks without his lifesaving care. This is not how insurance should work. We pay high deductibles and monthly premiums, and there is still no guarantee that the medicines my son needs to breathe will be fully covered, or even partially paid for. As a mother, all I should have to worry about is my son’s health and having peace of mind knowing he has the treatments he needs to live a quality life. I urge our elected leaders in Washington to focus on policies like insurance reforms, so that families like mine can focus on what is important, and not have to waste time battling for care we should already have.