“There just isn’t anyone else out there who cares like he does.”

Sen. Franken’s hard work in the Senate has had a real impact on people like Sue, a volunteer with Team Franken in the Eagan office.

In 2011, Sue was diagnosed with Huntington’s — a genetic disease with severe side effects and no cure. She made the difficult decision to leave her full-time job to focus on her health and treatment.

“That was one of the hardest things to accept — that I couldn’t work.”

Sue stayed on her former employer’s health insurance plan because it was the only choice.

“Other companies told me I wasn’t insurable — I had a pre-existing condition, after all. So I paid the full premiums out of pocket, starting at $800 and increasing to almost $1,200 a month by 2013.”

With a little over 40% of her monthly expenses being eaten by insurance premiums, she was eventually forced to sell her home in September of 2013.

“I never thought I would be the person who didn’t have enough money to pay for my house. I had owned this home for 17 years! It was a difficult choice — but I knew how important it was continue the right course of treatment for my disease.”

Sue was homeless from September 2013 to January 2014, living with relatives until she could afford housing. Strapped for cash, she was anxious to find a new plan. When open enrollment began on the MNsure marketplace last fall, she found more affordable coverage.

“I felt like I didn’t have a choice until the Affordable Care Act started working. Once I signed on through MNsure, I got the same plan with the same company for just $500 a month.”

With more money in her pocket again, she could afford to rent a townhome. Sue’s experience was what inspired her to take action with Team Franken.

“I’m thankful Al’s been working hard for people like me – people who need access to quality, affordable health care. There just isn’t anyone out there who cares like he does.”

These days, Sue isn’t letting her disease hold her back. She’s busy putting as much time into the campaign as she can – talking to voters on the phones and motivating more members of the community to take action.

“When you walk people through Al’s accomplishments, they’re blown away. And more often than not, they’ll realize that they’ve felt the benefits of his work in the Senate. I’m grateful for everything he’s done and everything he’ll continue to do in the future.”

Help Al make sure he can keep working hard for us — join Sue in Eagan or at an event near you .

The post “There just isn’t anyone else out there who cares like he does.” appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.