One Friday night I suffered sudden and excruiating pain in my abdomen. I could not stand up because my vision would go black and the dizziness would increase ten-fold. An ambulance was called for me... my blood pressure was 80/50 so I was rushed to The Med E.R. There I laid in a bed for over 10 hours while the nurses gave the pain meds. At some point they wrote up the discharge papers and took away all my monitoring equipment. The whole time I was never able to stand up. Eventually, after the morning shift change, the nurse brought the doctor... (more)

My late husband and I lived in London England in the 1990s. My husband worked as a molecular biologist at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. I worked as a caseworker in one of Europe's largest homeless shelters for men - Arlington House. I was required to obtain T.B. testing and a number of vaccinations prior to working with this population. Thus I was introduced to Britain's National Health System. It was easy for me to get an appointment to see a doctor (general practicioner - G.P.). I chose who our doctors would be out of the... (more)

Dear President Obama, please read my true health care story. Im 52 years old and back when HMO'S first started out, I for one got caught up in the private (hmo) insurance nightmare. I was often denied good health care and sent home without proper testing. I remember many times I was so sick, I could not stand the pain any longer. I sometimes would cry out loud as a result of pain. This went on for many years. This while in an HMO network or I had no insurance due to it being canceled as a result of some other "pre exsisting"... (more)

My father is a navy veteran, has worked all his life, is a wonderful father, and believes in an honest days work for an honest days pay. This last year he has been in and out of the hospital due to his diabetes and just recently suffered a heart attack. Because he was unable to work, his job had to let him go which left him without health insurance and a way to pay for health insurance. His doctors refused to see him because he did not have insurance, his medicine bills took whatever little money that was being brought in by my mother, leaving... (more)

I see the importance of health care reform every day in my health care practice. The current system bogs me down and gets in the way of delivering services, and that's to the folks who can afford coverage. I'm exhausted by patients not being able to afford prescription meds, and I don't care what anyone says or tries to explain, the Medicare Part D plan is awful and broken and makes no sense whatsoever. And I regret that small business owners, like my 56-year old younger brother, cannot afford health insurance as a one-man operation, or... (more)

I grew up on welfare in public housing, but I was determined to make a better life for myself. I also wanted to help others. After years of hard work and many hardships, I finally managed to earn a degree in business and took a dream job with a nonprofit that helps prisoners with re-entry, and through a state act has the authority to allow its volunteers to monitor conditions in the state and county prisons and provide compassion and support to prisoners with little or no outside contacts. While the pay was not the best, I thought at least I... (more)

When we found out that my girlfriend was pregnant, it was pretty much the worst time possible for us. She was unemployed, and I had recently gotten out of the Army. But we had been talking about getting married anyway, and though we were terrified, we decided to try to do the right thing and get married and have the baby. Since neither of us had a job, we obviously didn't have employer-provided health care. But I had a little money saved up from my time in the service, and we were pretty sure I could get a low-wage but serviceable job... (more)

I am a 59 year old Vet and recovering Addict of 14 years. In August of 2007 I was stricken down by unceasing Migraine headaches. I thought I was going to die, and nearly did! After being off of work for over 30 days, my company had to fill my position and thus laid me off. 30 days after that my Healthcare that they provided also ended. At that point, I was forced to do anything I could to pay to go to the doctor and get my medications. But, I could not afford any more lab tests, complicating my rehabilitation. My Doctor was forced to... (more)

I have been without health care for several years. Although it is available through my employer, I spent several years caring for my ailing mother and because of this was unable to meet the minimal hours needed to qualify. Meanwhile, I have not been able to afford my medications. I have not had a physical examination, Pap smear, or mammogram in years-- basic care to keep me healthy. I am slowly losing my vision. It is easily correctable, but I cannot afford the care to keep me from losing my sight altogether. Eventually, instead of... (more)

I am a psychotherapist and find that coverage for mental health dismal. I have encountered people suffering such as depression where they have difficulty functioning. Often times insurance companies limit sessions to unreasonable limits and some won't cover but the most severe diagnosis. People I encounter want to be productive and lead healthy lives. They sometimes need help in overcoming obstacles caused by mental misdirection. I ask that reasonable mental health services be a part of your health care reform.

My husband is on Medicare, but I am not yet. Everytime I have a test done or see a doctor, I am calling up to dispute one thing or another with the private insurance company. There is always something wrong with the claim. This has not happened with Medicare for 3 years. I am so sick of fighting with for-profit companies. PUBLIC OPTION or NO REFORM AT ALL. We would have this if insurance hadn't bought the congress.

I've had 2 strokes and epilepsy. I am only 39 years old. I am on disability at the moment, and have to wait 2 years to be seen and get Medicare. I desperately need medical care now. I have no money to go get an MRI or any female checkups that I need. And I think I could be going through menopause with alot of pain. Medicaid won't approve me in Florida because my child support is still in Texas because it goes direct deposit into an account there and I OWE THE BANK MONEY! So I cannot transfer child support order over to Florida yet. (we... (more)

My story is boring and not that tragic but I am sure is common. I have health care - Kaiser Permanente in Northern California. I am currently unemployed. I recently interviewed for a job in my field in Ohio but the employer was not offering health care. I was unable to obtain health care in Ohio - on my own - because of pre-existing conditions. Just the fact that I take two high blood pressure meds - even though my BP is controlled at 120/80 avg. So I didn't get to take the job, I'm trapped in my current health care and trapped in only Kaiser... (more)

I had my twins when i was 23, but was still too young to imagine the horrible possibilities. My water broke 8 weeks early and my daughter's umbilical cord came out before her. 15 minutes later we were at the hospital via ambulance. An emergancy C-Section and 20 minutes of CPR saved her, but she spent the first 30 days of her life in intensive care. Because i was poor at the time, i have 0 debt. Every single dollar was paid for by our public health care (Medical). I've gone to back to school and got a BA degree, i own my home now and i am... (more)

Two of my adult sons(I am a mother to four sons) 23 and 28 were passengers in a horrible auto crash 8-8-09 . They have no private health ins. The driver no auto ins. Their bills combined are half a million dollars in their twenties. After the emergency care and surgeries the door closed . They have no continuing care and cannot get any . A lien from the trauma/surgical hospital was filed in court within weeks on my youngest sons bills. I applied for medicaid for them and they were turned down but meet all criteria. Medicaid is federal but... (more)

I am a Registered Nurse who works in the largest Hospital in town, I see patients daily that fear that the care that they need will end up costing them everything they own. We are all one uninsured illness away from being homeless. I am also a cancer patient, for the last two years I have battled colon cancer, I see what the costs are. We need to have a single payer government run plan to cover us all! We should have as good health care as our elected officals.

Hi, I am an American living in France. I am so saddened by the stories I have read here. This sadness is emphasized by the fact that here in France, I witness incredible health care, while my fellow Americans back home are left in horrible conditions. Why do so many people in America feel that a social health care system is the enemy? I promise to anyone reading this that what I have experienced in France (I have had three children by c-section here!) has been nothing but incredible care... peaceful, with excellent doctors and staff in all... (more)

I had a full insurance policy with United Health Care and wound up in bankruptcy. While I was going through cancer treatment they said they weren't going to pay any more. By the time I was done with chemotherapy, we had accumulated more than $350,000 in debt. Bill collectors were threatening to attach assets, including my husband's wages. We had no choice. Now, it's as if we are starting from scratch--except we're no longer young and have ruined credit. I'm still alive and now, in addition to fighting cancer, I'm taking on the... (more)

My health insurance was retroactively cancelled by Blue Cross Blue Shield after I was hospitalized for a MRSA infection that resulted in amputation of my big toe. While in the hospital recovering, I was informed by mail that Blue Cross(an 80/20 plan with most of the premium picked up by my employer)was retroactively cancelling my insurance. I was left with DR and hospital bills over $75,000 and then I was terminated by my employer Wal-Mart. Unfortunately it then gets much worse. The same year, my daughter, aged 25, and a mother of three... (more)

Dear President Obama, I was a volunteer for your presidential campaign, and I often shared my personal health care story while phone banking and speaking with undecided voters in swing states, because I truly believe that you are committed to fixing the health care crisis in this country. Here is my story: I am 29 years old, self-employed, and have hypothyroidism. Because of my condition (though it is easily manageable and I am in excellent health despite it), I have been denied health insurance. Though I was finally able to secure... (more)