For many, the discussions and debates in Washington, D.C., regarding the repeal of the Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obamacare, have seemed to be just that — talk.
It isn’t until those discussions hit home does it become real.
For Kevin Walker, of Sedalia, those discussions became very real as he traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to speak before a presidential committee regarding health care concerns.
“Carla Young, Republican party chairperson for the 4th Congressional District, contacted me last week to see if I would be interested in telling my story at the White House,” Walker said. “I told her absolutely I would be honored to do this.
“She sent my name on up to Vicky’s Hartzler’s office and I was contacted by them only a few minutes later,” Walker explained. “They then told me when a 202 area code pops up on my phone that would be the White House.”
Walker said the White House contacted him at 1:30 p.m. Monday, June 19, by phone and the vetting process began. By 6:30 p.m. Walker was waiting for his flight itinerary, then his flight left at 6 a.m. Tuesday for Washington, D.C.
He and the five other members of the hearing were cleared through two Secret Service security check points before being escorted into the waiting room of the West Wing of the White House.
“A little after 1 p.m. we were escorted into the Roosevelt Room where there were place cards with all of our names for each seat,” Walker described. “I was sitting on the right side of the table right across from Omarosa Manigault.”
Manigault, a political aide to President Donald Trump, is known to many for her appearance on the first season of “The Apprentice.”
Others who attended the meeting included Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price, Dr. Douglas Lake from Iowa, members of the Missouri delegation and White House counselor to the president Kellyann Conway.
Walker commented that the six individuals who attended each had a story to tell regarding their health care battles.
“My story was taking in my nephews after they lost their dad in 2010,” Walker began. “They had lost their mother the year before to ovarian cancer.
“I have pre-existing conditions from a car wreck and in 2010 I had the muscle spasm from hell to where it felt like someone had stabbed me in the back and added thousands of volts of electricity,” Walker said. “I wasn’t able to move and I wasn’t able to breathe.”
Walker went on to describe his arrival by ambulance to the hospital and his eventual treatment there.
“That was a $4,000 trip to the ER to which I had no insurance because I fell through the cracks that year,” Walker commented. “I made too much for Medicaid and not enough for Obamacare.
“My concern with Blue Cross and Blue Shield pulling out of Obamacare in Missouri is that it will leave us with no choice for the next year,” he added. “What if something happens to me and with no insurance I may not be able to take care of it?”
Walker added that he is concerned that the event may be so catastrophic that he could possibly lose his home or worse yet, he is worried over what may happen to his nephew and his care.
“My other concern is who would take care of my nephew,” Walker asked. “Plus he doesn’t need to lose another person that he has been so close to him in his short life.
“I closed by saying America loves to help people, but unfortunately we are helping other countries and not helping Americans,” he added. “If we don’t help Americans, how can we expect her people to help elsewhere. To me it’s like when you are on a plane and the oxygen masks drop: they tell you to put your mask on before helping anyone else.”
After his testimony, Walker said Manigault was moved by his story.
“She took my hand from across the table and we talked afterwards,” Walker said. “She has been going through the same thing having taken in her five nephews.
“She also told me that I was strong to have gone through what I have and still take on the challenge of raising kids,” he said. “It was quite a compliment.”
After the hour-long meeting ended and photographs were taken, Walker headed to the offices of Health and Human Services where he recorded a video interview, although he is uncertain what it will be used for.
“After I was done at HHS, I was escorted across the street to Congresswoman Hartzler’s office where she thanked me and the other members,” Walker said. “It was a whirlwind trip, but all in all it was well worth it.
“It was an honor to represent Pettis County and Missouri,” Walker added. “I feel our voices were heard, peacefully. “Secretary Price said they promise they will fix this and make sure everyone has affordable health care.”
