Woman Overcomes Bankruptcy and Cancer Thanks to ACA Protections

A woman from Syracuse, New York, whose life was drastically altered by medical bills, credits the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for saving her life during a critical cancer diagnosis. Eugenia Horan, now 52, faced overwhelming financial strain when her husband’s medical emergency in 2007 resulted in a staggering bill of $400,000. The couple, uninsured at the time, declared bankruptcy, but in 2018, they began to recover financially. Just one year later, Horan received a terminal lung cancer diagnosis.

Horan’s story illustrates the profound impact of the ACA, which expanded access to affordable health coverage. “I’m alive because my cost of care was covered,” she told Newsweek. Following her husband’s health crisis, he briefly had insurance but could not maintain it, leaving him uninsured for over six years until the ACA increased access to health plans. Horan relied on Medicaid due to her pre-existing conditions, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which she had before the ACA was enacted.

Health Care Access Transforms Lives

In 2019, Horan learned she had lung cancer that had metastasized to her small intestine. She expressed gratitude for the ACA, stating, “Without ACA, I would have had Medicaid, but I don’t think I would have survived.” After spending nearly a month in the intensive care unit, she received treatment that she believes would not have been as comprehensive without the ACA’s protections. Research from the American Cancer Society indicates that individuals lacking health insurance or relying solely on Medicaid are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at a later stage, leading to lower survival rates.

“Without that coverage, I’d be dead,” Horan asserted. She has been cancer-free since December 9, 2019, and has not required further treatment since January 2020, thanks to a combination of ablation and immunotherapy. Without the ACA, she believes securing private health insurance would have been nearly impossible due to her cancer diagnosis being classified as a pre-existing condition.

Despite the ACA’s benefits, the future of healthcare coverage remains uncertain. Expanded subsidies intended to make insurance more affordable for millions of Americans are set to expire at the end of the year, potentially leading to dramatic premium increases. Reports suggest that many individuals may be forced to drop their coverage altogether, creating a wave of concern among those who have benefited from these provisions.

Public Health Anxiety Peaks

Horan’s experience is not isolated. Recently, conversations online have erupted in response to the potential expiration of the ACA subsidies. On November 10, she shared her journey on the platform Instagram Threads, where it gained significant attention, garnering over 430,000 views. The reactions reflect a growing anxiety about healthcare in the United States. One user expressed gratitude for Horan’s openness, stating, “Thank you for sharing this horror story with us! I can’t even imagine what other people have endured.”

Horan emphasized the need for public awareness regarding the implications of losing the ACA. “I don’t think most Americans understand what losing ACA would do to us,” she said. “I don’t think they understand how it will make life worse for them.” She worries that individuals facing similar health challenges may hesitate to seek treatment due to the fear of crippling medical debt.

A recent survey conducted by West Health and Gallup highlights this national concern, revealing that nearly 47 percent of U.S. adults are anxious about affording necessary healthcare in the upcoming year, marking the highest level of worry since tracking began in 2021.

Despite these fears, Horan aims to convey a message of hope. “I’m an end-stage cancer advocate, and I spend much of my time teaching people that there very much is hope for ‘terminal’ cancer patients,” she remarked. Her journey underscores the critical role of accessible healthcare in transforming lives and the ongoing challenges faced by many in navigating the complexities of medical costs.