Health plan refuses surgery for woman in pain

RENTON, Wash. — Nearly 300,000 Washington residents will have their health insurance plans canceled because of the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare.

But that doesn't worry a Renton woman, because her insurance isn't working for her anyway.

The Affordable Care Act came under withering criticism in Congress, but local Congressman Jim McDermott (D) Washington, believes much of the criticism is misplaced.

"We would have all loved to see this launch be seamless and smooth," McDermott said, "but we can't get caught up in the glitches and the technical problems and lose our perspective."

Laura Maloy wants people to understand her perspective, as a woman suffering chronic abdominal pain.

"About three years, the constant pain," she said. Maloy says she needs surgery to find out what's wrong. But instead, she got a letter from her insurance company refusing to pay for surgery because her pain is a preexisting condition.

"They basically said anything that I've ever been, had tried treatment for, had diagnosed or any kind of therapy that they offered me that they won't pay for 12 months," Maloy said. She said the policy is offered by her husband's job and costs $240 a month.

"We don't really make that much money as it is," Maloy said. "So you know it's quite a bit of money to pay out when I'm not getting any help in return."

Under Obamacare, insurance companies will be forced to cancel such plans. That's because after Jan. 1, preexisting conditions must be covered.

There are no complaints about that from Maloy. "You know we're expecting some, you know to maybe get some help, some treatment, and, you know, I can move on with my life and, you know, can start contributing to my finances and the family."

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