My husband and I have a small business. We have no health care, because the cost is too high. So, we have to carefully evaluate each illness and injury before seeking medical attention. Is it worth it? What if the wrong decision is made?

There are times that you think that having health insurance would make choices that need to be made in health care more affordable. Case in point is when my wife developed a urinary tract infection that got worse as the night progressed. Since all of the urgent care centers were closed, we went to the emergency room. After she was treated and released, recovery went as expected. When I got the bill, it was for $700!! after insurance had paid their share. We need to have more affordable health care and cheaper alternatives to going to the... (more)

As a Lebanese-American, I still cannot figure out how the most powerful country in the world have no almost FREE insurance coverage for its own people. This still puzzles me since I moved to the U.S. and became a proud citizen in the 80's Good Luck

Over the past year alone, I have witnessed my grandfather and my father-in-law be forced to swallow their pride in the face of receiving no health care at all. My grandfather has not had the best health care our country can provide an individual...simply because his insurance does not adequately cover the costs for the health care needs he has. He now has a colostomy bag attached to his hip for the remainder of his life. My father-in-law was in need of three separate but very important procedures: one to remove colon cancer, one surgery to... (more)

As a young entrepreneur, starting a business is even harder because of the high costs associated with health care. In our efforts to effect MEANINGFUL change I implore the Obama administration to push for either single payer health care or at minimum a single payer buy-in option.

I make an ok salary. We're not rich, but we don't have to struggle. I'm young, but I have several chronic illnesses and even with insurance, we end up paying thousands of dollars a year. My job is fairly stable, but who knows in these times. Another round of job cuts, a bigger health issue, a catastrophe and we are in big trouble. It's always in the back of my mind. I can't imagine how bad it is for those who are in a worse situation. This has got to change. The only ones who benefit from leaving the system the way it is are insurance... (more)

I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. May of the drug when I need, my FEP Blue Cross Blue Shield will not approve. One of them, necessary to work a full day, called Provigil, I've had to pay $ 600 out of pocket for almost 6 years. Remeber this is the same insurance that congress supposedly has. We need single provider badly.

I have been searching for a full time position for almost 2 years. I paid for Cobra but that ended after 18 months...at a cost of 500 a month. I am type 2 diabetic and while I have reduced my meds by about 80%. I am doing everything I can to get to a point where I can get off my meds and maintain my health with diet and exercise BUT because I have a pre-existing condition I am not allowed to buy insurance. My doctor was good enough to let me make payments but I cannot afford 500 dollars every doctor visit (4 times a year). Especially when I am... (more)

I am a lawyer, and I practiced for 19 years except for the years I was a full-time mother. I always had health insurance. About ten years ago, I found myself divorced, but I still had my career. I had my own small firm and health insurance for me and my one employee. About five years ago, I became seriously ill, was hospitalized for a long period of time, and have been unable to work since then. Being seriously and chronically ill, I needed health insurance more than ever, but BECAUSE I was very ill--and therefore unable to work--I had no... (more)

Recently my friend Sheldon passed away from AIDS...right here in America. He was unable to afford healthcare insurance and the local clinics are under-funded and under-staffed. I've heard horror stories about the long waits for care and then possibly inadequate care being given. I myself was able to purchase a healthcare policy just before being diagnosed with a chronic illness. Now the company that provides my insurance will not allow me to upgrade my policy whatsoever. An upgrade would help me to afford the necessary laboratory tests... (more)

A friend of mine, a CPA, recently lost his job with a prestigeous Atlanta Accounting firm and was almost immediately diagnosed with prostate cancer. Ever since, he has been fighting with his health insurance company over approving the necessary care needed by his doctors to continue treating him. Now he and his family always feel humiliated and alone. This is a Shame that should not be allowed in America.

I'm 15 years old, and for the past year i have been living with double vision and constant headaches. My health insurer is Coventry and they raised our prices because of the MRI, lots of doctors viist, and other health exppense. It is getting to high. This plan would help us pay for the doctors visits

I am an insurance agent. I supported President Obama and I support his desire to offer affordable health care to all citizens of the United States. I believe there needs to be compromise between the insurance companies and the government. I do not think that we need to move to an entirely government supported system because I have many clients whose employer plans work very well and cover all employees adequately. However, there are many individual who have only relatively minor conditions such as diabetes who do not have access to employer... (more)

I lack health care and my 8 yr old grandson does also and he has autism. I try to pay for his vitamins and cod liver oil out of my unemployment and try to pay a doctor's visit out of pocket. I need to recover my grandson. I have high blood pressure and a low thyroid. My joints are hurting me now and my neck is bothering every 2-3 weeks. I don't know if it's a tumor or if my sinus is draining in my neck but I can't afford to see about myself even though when I was working I had to pay taxes to a government that doesn't care about it's own... (more)

Last year, just before turning 28, my brother was diagnosed with an arachnoid cyst located adjacent to his brain stem and cerebellum. Until his diagnosis forced him to change his plans, he had been a full time student earning a BFA. As a full time student, he could not devote time to a full time job. Without a full time job, he had no easy option to provide him with health insurance-- private insurances rejected him based on previous health issues (which we now realize were part of his previously undiagnosed neurological issues). ... (more)

I was recently laid off so my health care is very costly. I can not afford the $30 a month for the health care that Kaiser offers to people in my situation. I don't want to wake up one morning and find that I'm sick and can't afford to go to the doctor. America should have affordable health care or even socialized health care. We all deserve to be healthy.

Long ago, I made a decision to give all that I can to future generations. The most effective way to ensure success for the future was to become a teacher, which I am. I give all that I can to my students, most of whom are disabled, and yet at the end of the month, I cannot make ends meet. It would be such a great help if my insurance premiums were lower. Each month, I pay over 300 dollars (almost a month's worth of daycare expenses for my toddler son) in insurance premiums, but, thankfully, rarely see doctors. There has to be something that... (more)

I am a social worker and see how the cost of health care keeps people from affording medicines and treatments they need. As we all know people have to choose between to eating a meal or buying their prescription drugs. People go without treatment they need to live a better quality of life- even possibly living a longer life. We need affordable health care for everyone.

I lost my health care coverage when I lost my job. I need a mammogram and an annual pap & pelvic exam. Also, I need dental coverage because I need perio-treatments to maintain my oral health in order to prevent heart disease which is associated with dental diseases.This is expensive treatment.Therefore.Please include dental,mental,short and long-term health care coverage in this initative.

I WORK IN THE VA MEDICAL CT. I AM A VETERAN. I AM TRIED OF SEEING THESE VETERANS LAY HERE IN PAIN NOT RECEIVING THE PROPER DRUGS BECAUSE OF BUDGET CUTS.