Ok, brace yourselves, this will be a long one. When I found out I was pregnant – at 44 and after being told for 10 years that I would never get pregnant – I discovered that I would need to see a specialist. I immediately applied for insurance under the pre-existing coverage portion of the Affordable Care Act. This was the only insurance I could purchase as no one, repeat no one, will sell insuranc…e to someone who is already knocked up.

During the wait on that insurance application, the hospital here refused to treat me unless I applied for Medicaid for pregnant ladies. That’s right, refused to treat me. I attempted multiple times to pay cash for treatment until the pre-existing condition policy came through. Nope, no way. So I very reluctantly (read kicking and screaming and righteously pissed off about it) applied for Medicaid convinced that we wouldn’t qualify because I don’t feel poor.

I have a very good accountant and truthfully, Jay and I don’t make a lot of money. Every dime we make is really made by the companies we own and work for. We don’t get paychecks from our companies. So, surprise, I qualified and my entire pregnancy – including C-section, tubal ligation and amazing brand new and staggeringly expensive genetic testing was covered by Medicaid. Jake was given coverage until his first birthday with no application on my end.

By the way, I was approved for the pre-existing condition plan and it would have cost me $330/month. Money we would have been happy to pay. But instead, we paid nothing under Medicaid. I declined to apply to stay on Medicaid because I don’t think it’s fair that I get it when there are those who need it more who can’t. And I knew that good things and affordable insurance were coming this month.

The system before Affordable Care forced taxpayers to pay for my pregnancy when I wanted to pay for it myself. I saw a very expensive specialist for my entire pregnancy, I love her madly and I’m grateful – in the end – that the hospital forced me into the Medicaid system. But here’s the thing, when you talk shit about welfare mothers, you’re talking shit about me. And I’m a welfare mom because the hospital makes more money that way then they would if I had paid cash.

That changes with the Affordable Care Act. Had I been able to afford insurance, I would have purchased it. Had I known I would get pregnant at my age and impossibility factor, I’d have bought more lotto tickets. And finally, although I’m a confirmed heathen, I know enough about Christianity to know that Jesus wanted to heal the sick and care for the poor. Sounds good to me.

Your welfare mother friend.