Local residents ask Portman to preserve ACA protections

Feb. 21--About 10 Toledo-area residents dropped off letters and comment cards to the downtown Toledo office of U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R., Ohio) today, asking him to preserve patient protections granted in the Affordable Care Act.

Organized by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the nonpartisan advocacy organization of the American Cancer Society, participants held signs and dropped off about 100 letters with personal stories and calls to action from area residents who have benefited from the ACA, also known as Obamacare.

"We're here today to make sure Congress and Senator Portman hear that we want to make sure all of the patient protections for the Affordable Care Act remain when the new legislation is introduced," said Lauren Coatoam, Ohio grassroots manager for ASC CAN. "We want to make sure that care is affordable and accessible for people."

Ms. Coatoam said some of the most important protections for cancer patients, survivors, and their families include allowing children to stay on a parent's insurance until age 26, barring insurers from denying or dropping coverage because of pre-existing conditions, access to preventive screenings, and prohibiting lifetime coverage caps.

Mr. Portman was not scheduled to be in Toledo today but some of those present were able to have a conversation with staff at his office, Ms. Coatoam said.

Central Toledo resident Tracey Belcher, 58, received a breast-cancer diagnosis in 2008. She called the concern over affordable health care "a constant boogeyman."

"I have family and friends who have benefited from the Affordable Care Act and if they take it away, they won't be able to afford medical, co-pays, anything," she said. "As a cancer survivor, I want to help other cancer patients and my family. I have a pre-existing condition. If that happened to me, I don't know what would happen."

Ms. Coatoam said they planned to drop off constituent letters at Mr. Portman's Cleveland office on Saturday.

"We want to keep patients' stories top of mind for Senator Portman," she said. "We want him to know constituents are concerned and make sure their voices are heard."

Portman spokesman Emily Benavides said in a statement today that the senator and his staff "plan on participating in a variety of events around the state this week," when asked if he planned to hold a town hall or other public discussion about health care.

"Rob supports preserving the ban on lifetime coverage limits, keeping kids on a parent's plan until 26, and ensuring that those with pre-existing conditions have quality health coverage," she said.

Contact Lauren Lindstrom at [email protected], 419-724-6154, or on Twitter @lelindstrom.

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