[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 1171]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 IN SUPPORT OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

  (Mr. KEATING asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, let me share with you and the Members an 
Affordable Care Act story from Gwyneth Packard, from my hometown of 
Bourne, Massachusetts. Gwyneth contacted me to tell me about her uncle, 
Wayne Dickason.
  It was Thanksgiving 2015, and Wayne went to see his doctor because he 
was not feeling well. His doctor ran some tests. The next day, Wayne 
received an unnerving call asking him to come back in. Before he could 
make the next appointment, Wayne's insurance provider called his 
employer to inform the company that its rates would be going up because 
one of its employees had cancer. Wayne had been a computer technician 
at his company for 18 years. His boss knew he had not been feeling 
well, so it was not hard for him to figure out which employee was the 
cause since Wayne was the only one who was sick. At work the next day, 
Wayne's boss called him into the office and said he was laying him off 
because his company couldn't afford the new premium.
  Thankfully, Wayne was able to purchase coverage through the insurance 
exchange. Wayne saw his doctor, got his official diagnosis, and began 
formulating a plan. Because he was able to purchase health care, even 
with his having preexisting conditions, Wayne got the lifesaving 
surgery he needed.

                          ____________________