With Donald Trump in office, Republicans finally have the power to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare, as many Americans know it. The health care program has its problems, but it was a saving grace for many college students around the country.

One of the medications I take costs almost $1,500 per month, and there is no lower cost generic available. With insurance, the cost of that medicine goes down to just over $200 per month. Insurance literally saves my life, along with the lives of millions of Americans, including students.

The repeal of the ACA will mean that many Americans, including many ESU students, will be on their own when it comes to healthcare. We are already burdened with student loans, and some students, like myself, cannot afford to go without insurance.

The ACA allowed students to stay on their parents’ health insurance until age 26. With the repeal, the term “broke college student” will be even more of a reality. Health bills will be one more expense for us to handle, whether that is paying for our own insurance or paying out of pocket costs for doctor visits.

Another important part of the ACA was that it offered women with insurance access to free birth control. Most college students can’t afford to have a child, and birth control is a great way to make sure you don’t become a young parent. Also, birth control helps other areas of some women’s health, such as regulating periods, controlling acne and alleviating symptoms of conditions such as Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

If there is no alternative to staying on a parent’s insurance plan past college, the majority of students will be screwed upon graduation, if not before. Health care is expensive and we need a buffer, such as the ACA, to help us get the care we need without the stress of a sky-high medical bill.

ACA may not be perfect, but we need to plan for our own health care, especially if the government doesn’t have a better alternative.