My single parent daughter can no longer afford quality health care for herself and her two college aged children.

The best thing that happened to me was turning 65 so I could get medicare. As a self employed individual with a (minor) back problem health care was difficult to find and I finally found an insurance company in Hong Kong to ensure me at three times the normal premium.

my daughter has MS. she has lost her job. and that job was carrier of her health care insurance. if her husband, God forbid, loses his job, she will never be able to afford insurance because of her pre-existing condition.

As a doctor and the author of six medical books For Dummies I am acutely aware of the costs of medical care and the need to rein in those costs. As patients lose jobs and benefits, their care deteriorates as they have to choose between eating or rent or medical care.

I am fortunate to have health insurance by Kaiser in No. California. The premiums are high but the care is very good and my out-of-pocket expenses are low. I even had an out-patient surgery that only cost me $100! Are you looking at their business model? I had Blue Cross and Blue Shield and not only were my premiums high but my deductible and expenses were very high for the same services. Every American deserves health care, not just those who can afford it.

My 40+ year old son cannot afford health care. What happens if he becomes seriously ill?

Even as a comfortably off baby boomer, the existing health insurance system compromises my health care choices: a) My wife and I who are basically healthy and have a very high deductible plan are paying $10,000 a year in premiums plus all our actual normal medical expenses up to $8,000; b) I have deferred preventive care such as colonoscopy because of cost; c) To avoid the potential for additonal risk ratings, I very rarely visit a doctor. As an ex Brit I can assure Americans that the current US system is inconsistent, inefficient, expensive,... (more)

I am a physician. Single payer. Single payer. Kaiser Permanente should be the model for National Health Insurance.

I am a Nurse Practitioner. I find the lack of access to good, affordable health care for so many Americans both stupefying and shameful.

My life with health care has been a financial disaster. Since my small business closed, I have had to purchase my own insurance. Originally, I joined an HMO and paid close to $600.00 am month for only myself. I paid separately for my adult son and my husband bought his own. We were paying over $12,000.00 a year on health insurance alone. When my hip lost function and I needed a surgery, my primary care physician and two other consulting doctors recommended I get a hip resurfacing surgery. The HMO would only pay for a total hip... (more)

You know, as a nurse practitioner, EVERYDAY I deal with patients who can't afford health insurance or can't get their birth control paid for by their insurance company or can't get tests covered by their insurance or they are watching their premiums sky-rocket because they are getting older. Women typically pay 20% more for coverage AND it does not matter if they get sick or stay well. Our young women graduating from college can't get jobs and so can't afford health insurance. When is this madness going to stop?

A friend who is a full time teacher's assistant at my granddaughters' elementary school has just been told she will loose her medical benefits. This was her family's only medical coverage. She and her family are now just another statistic, another American family without health insurance. The school will now most likely loose yet another qualified dedicated teacher since this issue may force her into changing jobs.

The costs for my health care with Blue Shield have gone up an average of 20% every year for the past 10 years. The is ABSURD! I ask that you find a way to eliminate insurance company profiteering and rein in cost increases.

We have a disabled child and were paying over $30,000 a year in health insurance costs. It became impossible. We have found some group insurance which is more affordable, but it still puts a strain on our situation. We have been close to not being able to afford anything and know many who can't. Once of our daughter's who is in graduate school has no health insurance and I worry about her everyday. She is borrowing a ridiculous amount of money to go into the health care field (doctoral degree in psychology) and doesn't even have... (more)

I think that a single pay system would be the better choice but it might be too hard to press thought. All Americans should be able to have health care.

As a nurse, I have an intimate understanding of how private health insurance companies soak up health care professional's time and energy, fragment care, and lower quality of care for patients on a day to day basis. As a community member, I know of many people who want health insurance and cannot afford it. Some of them have recently lost their jobs and are seeing their standard of living drop as they accept new jobs that lack health coverage. As a patient, I tried the "free market" favorite: the high deductible HSA plan. It failed... (more)

I work in the entertainment industry in Northern California. I have a friend who has diabetes who is going through the agonizing decision of how to afford his health care. When work slows down, he doesn't have enough hours to support his union health care plan. He doesn't make a lot of money so I know he will neglect his health just to get by.

I HAVE A VERY SICK DAUGHTER WHO IS ON COBRA WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE. SHE IS UNINSURABLE AND CANNOT RENEW HER INSURANCE. WHEN SHE LOOSES HER INSURANCE IT WILL BE FINANCIALLY DEVASTATING FOR HER.

I could relate to you, Mr. President, when you spoke of the problems you had with insurance when your mother was sick. My husband died two and a half years after suffering a brain aneurysm. He was unable to care for himself in any way. He had to have physical, occupational, and speech therapy daily. Intellectually, he was reduced to a child. This was a brilliant man who, at one time, had been president and publisher of the Atlantic Monthly. He was never able to understand what had happened. My children and I fought with insurance... (more)

My name is Lisa Sabella.I live in Tiburon California with my husband. We are both self employed, he is a contractor and myself a realtor. This year has been the most difficult year financially that we have ever experienced. We struggle every month to pay 1000.00 for our health care. At one point we had to go to my father for 3 months of health care costs 3000.00 so we would not be cancelled. I lost a very close freind 3 weeks ago yesterday, she battled pnuemonia for 6 months, she had no health insurance. The pnuemonia went to her heart. She... (more)