Having health insurance is truly important for your financial well being and of course for your health. The number one cause of bankruptcy in this country is unpaid medical bills. Even more concerning, not having adequate health insurance is associated with increased risk of dying. This is because common diseases such as high blood pressure, if not treated will lead to heart attacks, kidney failure and strokes among other things.

Obamacare, for all its problems, led to 20 million more Americans having health insurance. Yes, some saw major increases in premiums , along with major deductibles. Still, having insurance is better than not having any.

Obamacare required no lifetime limits on coverage, coverage of children until age 26 and no denial of coverage for preexisting conditions. Also, benefits included prescriptions, maternity care and mental health care.

The current party in power has tried to repeal and replace Obamacare but has been unable to garner enough votes to do so. This is not unexpected, as many more Americans have come to appreciate the benefits of Obamacare.

What is needed is to tweak Obamacare to stem the rise in premiums and deductibles. Perhaps allowing insurers to cross state lines would be a good start. Negotiating with large pharmacy companies to offer Medicare and Medicaid patients lower drug prices is another suggestion. Working with state and federal lawmakers to better define the most needy groups would also be helpful.

Bottom line is that state and federal legislators should offer the American public similar medical coverage which they have so generously authorized for themselves. It would be nice to have some women in groups that make decisions about denying maternity care.