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Silicon Valley Exec Tweets How Insurance Coverage Kept Son With Preexisting Condition Alive for 11 Years

Silicon Valley executive Ken Norton lost his son Riley to a severe and preexisting heart condition in 2014.

Years later, and amid the fight from Senate Republicans to pass a new health care bill that would leave 22 million people uninsured, Norton took to Twitter Monday to praise the insurance coverage that kept his son alive for 11 years.

Norton's personal tie with health coverage took a turn in 2003 when his son was born with a heart defect. Thanks to "excellent healthcare" provided by Norton's job, Riley benefitted from health coverage throughout his young life.

Multiple heart operations during Riley's time tallied bills in excess of $3 million, Norton tweeted. Those costs were covered by Norton's insurer, which couldn't deny Norton's family based on Riley's preexisting condition.

"We got 11.5 years with Riley because the very best doctors in the world did everything they could for him, without regard for cost," Norton tweeted.

Former President Barack Obama's touted Affordable Care Act continued to provide Norton with much-needed insurance coverage. Admittedly, he legislation "wasn't perfect, and it needs fixing," Norton tweeted.

"But I'm here to tell you that there is no 'us and them,'" Norton tweeted. "No responsible taxpayers and irresponsible moochers, we are them and they are us."

The new senate bill, named the Better Care Reconciliation Act, would cut the deficit by $202 billion, but the risk of cutting coverage to millions of Americans is not worth it, according to Norton.

"Nobody should ever have to endure what Riley did, but if and when we do, we deserve the best care available and the promise that our society stands with us ready to help," Norton tweeted.

The possibility of a new health care bill remains on hold Tuesday. Senate Republican leaders have delayed a vote on the bill until after the Fourth of July recess.

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