In 1993 in Alabama, my wife and I were both employed by the same employer. The employer went bankrupt. When we looked into COBRA we found it was not available, because COBRA only regulates an existing insurance contract. In bankruptcy, the contract is suspended, hence no COBRA. Because of my unique medical history, I found it impossible to buy any health insurance for myself, at any price; my solution was to enroll as a UAB student solely to be able to qualify for the student health insurance. To cover my wife and two small children, I... (more)

As I understand it, Medicare will be bankrupt in less than a decade without major funding reform. It's bad enough payin Medigap priemiums WITH Medicare and a catastrophy without. My Humana premium jumped 62% in one year and Delta Dental by 25%

I have paid for health care coverage all of my adult life and rarely ever used it. Now at 46 when I'm facing my latter years I cannot afford it. All of those years spent paying into someone elses pocket and now I have nothing to show for it. I hope sanity prevales and this country gets Universal care.

My Mother died of Breast Cancer and like you President I saw my Mother suffer with insurence Companys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am the owner of a small business that tries to do right by its workers. I offer top-notch health insurance, and pay 60% of the cost. I have seen annual rate increases of more than 20%. These costs seriously inhibit our ability to reinvest in the business, grow it, and hire more workers. We are in Michigan, where the unemployment rate is among the highest in the nation. Take the cost of health care off my back, and I will be able to hire more workers.

I feel Western medicind is controlled bu insurance companies pharmaceutical giants and the medical industry. I have 2 children that were for years not helped bu Western medicine and we had to go out of the country to get affordable and natural medicine which has worked miracles on both . My son had no insurance and it took many thousands of dollars which I chipped in to even get him the mri and all the tests American Dr. required and still nothing worked -- wrong and dangerous perscriptions. Having to leave the country to get good care which... (more)

I am fortunate to have no personal story, but, there is such a real need for so many, specially now with so much job loss here in Michigan. There is a GREAT need for health care for all citizens.

My daughter has a congenital heart condition. She has had 4 surgeries and will more than likely need more. I'm concerned that we won't be able to afford health care for her. Affordable health care for all Americans is a must. It's the right thing to do.

I have been a hospital volunteer at DMC Sinai Grace Hospital in Detroit since 1963. I now chair the Board of Trustees at that hospital and have come to know MANY hard working people who, through no fault of their own have no health insurance. Many of these people have two or three jobs, but none of them offer healthcare benefits, and so they end up using our emergancy department for their primary medical care. Their medical needs present as very complicated and they are usually very sick. Having affordable access to to medical insurance, or... (more)

My father, my husband and myself all used to work for Chrysler. We have seen the impact of our company not being able to compete on a global basis, in part, because our company has to include the cost of health care in the cost structure of it's products, while the Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Korean's, etc., do not. We can not expect American corporations to be global leaders when their cost structures are not on a level playing field with their global competitors.

My oldest daughter was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 2, she is now 28 and has Rheumatoid Arthritis. When she was in her freshman year of college her father divorced me and quit his job leaving her without insurance, so I had to pay for her COBRA for 3 years, at a cost of over $670.00 per month. We could not find an insurance policy that was less expensive -no one would touch her pre-existing condition. Then when COBRA ran out she was in graduate school and not yet 25, we could not find insurance for her - her... (more)

My daughter is on a county health plan because she makes less than $10k a year; it doesn't cover some of the prescriptions she needs, not to mention dental or vision.

we all need this as small business owner i know what this mean their has been many times when i can not buy this because my business was not doing good with high BP and sugar problem it is not easy about the cost.

I have a son who is 32years old and was a District Manager with General Motors Corps... He was given a buy out approximately 2.5 years ago and has not been able to secure a full time job. He has a College Degree in Marketing and has held different part time jobs at low wages, not able to afford Health insurance. If he has a major illness it would completely wipe out my saving. I am 66 years old.

I am a type 1 diabetic,asthmatic,anemic college student. My entire family Is pleagued with health problems and we can't pay the bills.we don't get any help and don't ask by my insulin pump alone costs a grand a mont to keep me alive. Barack Obama cares about diabetics like me and I support his efforts to make life for me and my family easier.

I have been lucky to have pretty good insurance...but i have family members and friends that really stress about this. It's so important. My step dad is on cobra after havin a triple by pass surgery...My mom found it too expensive for her to be on it too...so she took a cheap insurance...basically it's only good it she ends up in the hospital. She has been sick and won't go to the doctor...I worry because she is 61 and now not going to regular testing, etc because she feels she can't afford it. My brother and I try to help but her pride... (more)

I am fortunate that my family and friends have health insurance. I am embarassed that so many of my fellow citizens do not.

My son Julian Turcotte had cancer when he was 22. He has been cancer free for 10 years. He cannot afford health care. He lives in fear. We live in fear. This country needs health care reform that benifits everyone. Thank you, Mary Gannon Ford

I am originally from Belfast ,Northern Ireland , part of the United Kingdom, which is under the British National Health Care system. My Mother had a slow growing cancer she was under constant medical health care for 15 years , all the medical bills were taken care of by the National Health Care system. The Health Care was superb and she could choose any Doctor or Hospital she wished.We could never ever have afforded medical care of that kind, caliber for that length of time here in the U. S. A.with the present health care that is provided... (more)

I am a nurse who works in the city of Detroit. I just recently resigned from a job in home health care after discovering the agency I was working for was abusing Medicare. I am trying to decide how to go about reporting what I discovered.