Seven years ago, I was drugged and raped while on a business trip. I’m lucky to be alive.

I’m
also a health insurance agent. And when I needed new insurance, I knew
how hard it would be to get coverage after I’d been treated for my
assault. I’d needed counseling and preventative anti-HIV medications
for my survival. The insurance companies didn’t care what I’d needed.
To them, being treated for rape qualified as a "pre-existing condition."

I Am Not a Pre-Existing Condition.

But
the only coverage I could find would have cost almost as much as my
monthly rent. So for three years, I was uninsured. I paid for my
counseling, my antidepressants, and all my day-to-day health needs out
of pocket. It wasn’t easy, and the fact that I didn’t have coverage was
like a big, dark secret hanging over me.

Now, I’m speaking out about my experiences. I’m a part of SOAR® — Speaking Out About Rape — and I shared my story on Capitol Hill this week for the launch of NWLC’s Being A Woman Is Not A Pre-Existing Condition campaign. I hope my story will make a difference for other women like me. 

Congress
is considering the biggest reforms to our nation’s health system in
decades. We have an opportunity to make sure those reforms meet the
needs of women.

I’m not a pre-existing condition. No woman is. Tell Congress to pass health care reform that works for women.