Two years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. A week before my lumpectomy, my surgeon called to tell me that my insurance company had refused to pay for anything connected with the breast cancer. She was stunned. I felt as if I'd been given a second death sentence.

I decided I could pay for my own treatment, with retirement funds, and I did so. My surgeon offered a 50% discount on my surgury. Her assistant told me who else to call to arrange for private pay discounts. I spent the next week calling and making arrangements. People who worked for the hospital, bookkeepers, and many others cried with me and for me. I felt held and supported by everyone, except United Health care, the corporation I payed over $700 per month.

I had the surgury, the follow-up care and treatments. I've paid for it all, personally.

At a time when I needed to put all my focus and energy onto healing and living, I had to deal with where to find the money so that I would not die.

I was fortunate. Many others are not. I may miss my retirement account when I am older, yet it was there for me, so I could live. What I thought I could count on, my insurance company, was not.

Health care is something that everyone in our country needs to be able to access. It is not a luxury, it is a necessity. How much longer will my government take better care of the private corporations at the expense of it's citizens?