I’ll make this one really short….

I have experienced two health systems- the German and the American one. I won’t bore you with a comparison or stories about my initial confusion and the steep learning curve it took me to understand the health insurance system in the US.

I have been in the privileged position to have health insurance through my husband, but I have friends relying on the Affordable Care Act. They will be the first to tell you that there are kinks in the system and that it is far from perfect.

But for those of you, who don’t remember the time before 2010, I’ll invite you to go to any online forum for chronic illnesses. People were relying on ER care. People were self-medicating. People had their medications cut because their annual dollar limits were reached (as happened to yours truly and Cimzia). You’ll read heart-aching stories about going into debt, losing jobs, and in some cases sliding into criminality (for example, to get painkillers).

So, you may be healthy and young, and wonder why you should pay-I won’t bore you with ideals such as solidarity and community, but I may remind you that between 134 and 177 Million of adult Americans are suffering from chronic diseases. Now, imagine, these people could get the health care they need, and in turn, return to the workforce, pay taxes and fuel the economy? ka-ching, ka-ching, here is the conservative argument for health care.

Let’s make it better, not get rid of it.