Cancer patient Tony Angran has quite the fighting spirit: he is battling Stage 3 cancer and trying desperately to find funds to pay for his new Obamacare plan.
Angran, diagnosed with Stage 3 Esophageal Cancer in January,
January- was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer of the esophagus had insurance, but due to a previous heart condition, the insurance did not cover the treatments he needed for his cancer. He was notified of his insurance plan’s limitations just moments before receiving life-saving chemotherapy.
"One of the workers came and said, ‘I need to talk to you,’ and so I went and talked to her and she says, ‘We found out that your insurance does not include chemo,’" Angran told WHO-IA.
Over the past two months, the Angrans have depleted their savings account and accrued $50,000 in debt to pay for his treatments.
They signed up for Obamacare in hopes of finding better, less expensive coverage, but have been dismayed with the price of the health insurance offered by the exchange. It will cost them more than $800 a month.
The insurance plan they enrolled in will not begin for another two weeks, leaving them essentially hanging by a thread.
Tony Angran has since lost the ability to swallow, now eating through a feeding tube, and he is no longer able to take his necessary heart medicine.
A Pastor, Angran has dedicated his life to the services others and has shown compassion through his ministry. He says that Obamacare, which promises to alleviate the financial burden associated with health insurance and aims to provide quality care for Americans, lacks compassion.
"I’m sitting here with Stage 3 Esophageal Cancer, and they’re taking me to the finance person and saying, ‘How are you going to pay for this?’" he said.
The Angrans have until the start of April to pay $7000- their copay under their new Obamacare health insurance plan.