Breast Cancer Treatment

Paula (my mom), is a hard working, fun loving amazing parent, friend, and grandparent. She has always given 100% in every aspect of her life, whether it is work, helping others, or having fun. She is self employed as a Realtor, and has been for 34 years. She has always had medical insurance, but with the changes to the Affordable Care Act, she was forced to purchase short term coverage. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, her coverage kicked in and even though it was a shock to her and our family, we knew that she could beat this with proper treatment. She scheduled her mastectomy, and it went well, but they found cancer cells in 9 of the 11 lymph-nodes they removed. This caused the oncologist to recommend that she start both radiation and chemotherapy as soon as she heals from her surgery. She then was advised by her insurance company that due to Michigan law, they could not extend her coverage past 7/31/18. Her new coverage will not cover the treatment that she requires because it is a pre-existing condition. This is the exact reason that the ACA was created, yet it has created a loophole that has left Paula and her family facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Yes, the politicians are aware of this loophole, and yes, they have made changes to correct it, but the changes do not kick in until January 2019. By then, it will be too late for Paula. She has already amassed $17,800 in co pays and deductibles from her first surgeries and now she is facing an additional $46,000 to $64,000 in medical costs. She will also be unable to work while she is recovering, so what she has saved in her emergency fund will cover her living expenses, but barely make a dent in the medical costs. We have explored the options of a payment plan with the medical facilities, but they will not accept one. They require payment at every treatment.  Paula is a proud woman, and would never dream of asking for a handout, so I am going to do it for her. I am praying for a miracle, I want my daughters to have more time with their Grandma, I want more time with my Mother. I want her to be able to be another survivor and continue to spread joy and happiness to everyone she meets.