I have been an Episcopal priest for 35 years. Neither of my grown children (one a college graduate and married, one a single mom) has, or can afford, health care. How can this be true in these United States?

A few years ago I did a comparative report of the U.S. healthcare system in comparison to our European counterparts (specifically Denmark). I found it shocking that there are so many people in the U.S. without healthcare and that the government would rather pay for expensive emergency treatment than preventative care. As a result the U.S., without universal care, pays more for healthcare than any other nation in the world. People in this country are one doctors appointment away from bankruptcy. The costs have risen, while wages have stayed... (more)

I want to share my brother's story: he was diagnosed with kidney disease a few years ago when he had good health insurance coverage. He was able to go to the Mayo Clinic and get quality care for the illness. Then his job at the university was eliminated and he was let go. Now they are on his wife's insurance, attained through her part time jobs and it is minimal coverage, which doesn't allow him to get the type of health care he needs for this serious disease. His health is deteriorating rapidly and because the plan he's on doesn't cover... (more)

I am a single parent , there were times when I was out of work due to layoffs and had no healthcare for myself or my 2 children. I now have a job but have to pray I stay healthy because even with health care coverage I cant afford to be sick or off work. The place I work at THE major phone company has fired people for calling in sick , and requires that FLMA be filed, for coverage , THEN they make it impossible to get coverage by FMLA and fire you!

I live with bipolar disorder without my health care i'd be dead. my medications cost over 200 dollars a month medicare doesn't offer parody so i pay 50% of medical bills. i need your heip

I have a friend with an unemployed sister (age 61). She had no health insurance and never went to the doctor for checkups. In March she had a stroke and is currently residing in a nursing home unable to walk or talk. Her blood sugar was off the chart and she did not know she was a diabetic. This might have been a different story if she would have had preventive care!

A few weeks ago I had food poisoning. When I went to the closest hospital I waited for six hours, and was misdiagnosed. This cost our family $13,000.

I am 63 years old and am very nervous about being able to afford health care insurance and medications when I do finally retire. I am worried about the so called "Doughnut Hole" and having to choose between medicine or food. Our Senators and Congressmen should be doing what is best for the American people rather that what appears best for them to get re-elected! Maybe their insurance and healthcare should be the same as the average American's and then they may change their ways. For too long this tagging PORK to bills has got to... (more)

I have a $4000 deductible then a 80/20 pay after that due to a preexisting condition. I pay 459.00 a month just to have this policy. I do not go to the doctor for hardly anything because after paying my ins monthly there is hardly room for the medical bills. My husband and son are at a 1500.00 deductible which is more workable but their premium has just recently gone up to 350 a month. Soon we will not be able to afford the ins premiums.

As a registered nurse still practicing after almost 50 years in the profession (partly because of committment to patient care and partly because of neccessity) I fimly believe we need to have a major reform of our health care system. I see older Americans doing without their medications because of cost. I see Insurance companies increasing premeiums and trying to force medical decisions by denying care/coverge. I see money becoming the driving force in health care delivery rather than being the patient focused system it once was. I have no... (more)

I was recently laid off work. Luckily I was called back, otherwise I would have had to drop my health care provider. A friend of mine has not been so lucky. He is still laid off from work and has lost his health care coverage. Neither himself or his five year old son has health care at the moment. The health care provider that I was able to keep through the company has recently raised their rates, and I determined that I would have to choose the plan with less benefits and a higher deductible to afford it at this time. The cost would be the... (more)

As a widow 12 years ago upon the sudden death of my husband in an auto accident I was left without any insurance. I sacrificed my profession at the time as an executive in broacasting to be a substitute teacher in order to have the same schedule as my two young daughters. Our school district does not include substitue teachers in their health plan. I have not had a regular policy that I could afford for 12 years since the death of my husband. It's crucial for single parents to have good insurance along with their children. The parents must be... (more)

We have delayed retirement because of our concern about affordable and reliable health insurance.

I have parents who are now senior citizens, caring for a daughter in her late thrities that is living with them and has down syndrome. My parents are University professors, my mother had to stop teaching many years ago on a full time basis in order to take care of my sister. My father is in his mid- eighties and still teaches a course in the university every year in order to earn " a little more cash in order to make ends meet every month." My mother has a number of health problems and their medicals bills and prescription bills and... (more)

When I was divorced in 2004, I lost my health care thru my husband's policy. I couldn't afford the Cobra as it was over $800 per month. I was also unable to afford any coverage elsewhere because of pre-existing condition. As a child, I had cataract surgery on my right eye (inherited) and developed glaucoma at the age of 51 in that eye. My medicines (3 different ones) I can't always afford to purchase. I don't have any insurance to get medicine but I do have a discount card that takes about $10 off the price. Not a good deal!!! My... (more)

My husband is a roofer. He works hard and is getting older. We definitely are not getting rich off of roofing and cannot afford the expensive health care insurance for the self-employed. For the last three years I have had something wrong with the balls of my feet in which they swell, feel hard and I have tremendous pain. I have been from everything from an acupunturist to a podiatrist. I have spent over $1500 on orthopedics that do no good. The podiatrist put me on Lyrica which sometimes helps and sometimes doesn't. He was kind enough... (more)

Yes, I do support the President. We need a health care program. I am 79 years old...My health care costs me over $300.00 a month, plus my precriptions....which run over $100.00 per month. This is a huge bite from my monthly retirement. Also the act of health care itself needs to be trimmed. It has become too lucrative for doctors...and many hospitals might meet "standards" for care but in many instances the care is terrible for the costs. It needs reformed from top to bottom and drug companies need to quit playing footsies with... (more)

I am not insured. I am in my 30s and have had health issues. I have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance. I have not been able to see a general practitioner in 3 years. My husband I both work but my employer doesn't offer insurance and my husband's employer does, but it would cost almost half of his salary and we need that money to eat. We have a young child. We cannot afford health care for us. I want to be healthy for my family and our future, but right now I don't see how this can happen. Please... (more)

I have been a RN for 50 years and during myself or someone that I know have been hospitalized. No insurance covers the total and many people that I know have had to take out a loan to pay for their hospital stay. My husband had open heart surgery and his bill for his stay was over $30,000 dollars and we had to pay by monthly installments. We finally got it paid but it was a struggle. We had a house, a car and 3 young children also.

I have recently retired and it will cost me over $400 a month to continue my group policy for single coverage. This is a huge amount out of my IPERs retirement for this next year before I qualify for medicare. I am also fearing what my supplement and perscriptions will cost out of pocket after I am on medicare. Help!!!!