Fortunately for myself I don't get sick much at all, but now that I am in my 60's parts are wearing out and I have no health Insurance at all. I barely make enough money to survive. I am a homeless Veteran and living with a friend. Sure I can use VA when the big stuff arrives, but for dental and other old age problems which are small I am out of luck. I would be no problem to take a small portion of every dollar we make right at the beginning and give full medical to all Americans. Those of us who have lived 60 years and paid all our... (more)

Our current system is immoral

My stepdaughter, age 34, single mother with 3 year old child suffers from severe depression and has no medical insurance. She was offered medi-cal by California but with a CO-PAY OF $586.00 PER MONTH! For a single mother on disability this is impossible.

I finished grad school in May '08 and couldn't find full-time work, so I've been teaching part time and without benefits. This didn't bother me at first: I'm young and healthy. But I began having serious health issues last November. I didn't know what to do. I didn't have health insurance. I was denied medi-cal and county health services. When I could no longer get out of bed, my in-laws began paying for private health insurance for me. I was diagnosed with lupus. But having insurance hasn't left me better off: I owe $700 just for one visit to... (more)

Please make it possible for everyone to have health care and reduce the cost for us. This is important, you have health care and we should too. Thank you for listening to America.

I worked in the corporate world for 30+ years and paid into SSI along with paying a healthcare insurance premium. The co-pay was affordable, the premium was subsidized by my employer. Now I am retired @68 yrs of age and my co-pay ranges from $30/visit to $50-$250 per test (CT, MRI, Colonoscopy). In addition my Medicare premium is $100/mo, my supplemental coverage is $90/mo and I have a minimum prescription co-pay of $15 for the 6 prescription I must now take. Rent, food and utilities come to 75% of my monthly income of $1900. We Seniors... (more)

I have worked as a nurses assistant for over twenty years. I work on an Oncology unit in Northren California. I love my job. But it comes with many sacrifices and hazards. Initially I went into it to insure that my son would have good benifts. My son has had horiible asthma since the age of 4. he almost died on two occasions once at age 6 and again at age 13.He survived only because he had access to good medical care. Now at age 23 I can no longer cover him with my benifits. His asthma didnt go away, in fact it as bad as ever. He is young and... (more)

So many people I know don't get any care at all because they can't afford a doctor or a bill, sometimes not food. One friend of mine even pulled her own tooth because she couldn't go to a dentist. How can this be allowed to happen? Medical costs are out of control. People would spend less if they could go to the doctor instead of emergency because things got too bad for anything else.

I'm almost 60, a cancer survivor and I've been turned down by Blue Cross, Kaiser Permanente and Cigna. As a result, I can't afford to go to the doctor. I need to have periodic bloodwork done, etc., but avoid it because I don't have the money. I don't have an oncologist, because they're too expensive. I make $20,000 a year, before taxes. I've been working since I was 14 years old, and no retirement in sight. I vote, I love my country, but I certainly do get left out in the cold on healthcare issues. I'm a good citizen. I earn my way. I... (more)

My sister and I both went into bankruptcy taking care of our parents. My mother had Lupus and my father was on oxygen for the last few years of his life. I can sum up the current health care very easily. If it costs alot, it's not covered. Neither of them was in the hospital for more than one week before they died. I'm saying prayers that a more effective care plan will become available for other people.

Although I am fortunate to have health care coverage, the costs keeping rising on co-payments and medication. So far it is manageable, but I worry about my retirement years. More importantly, I worry about my young adult son and the lack of affordable health care coverage for him - what will happen if something catastrophic happens. Finally, many family members cannot afford health care coverage at all.

My son Ed was hit by a man driving under the influence when he was 18. The man was uninsured and poor. Ed almost died from his injuries. The ICU bill alone was $375,000. The cost of emergency room, surgury, doctors and after care was much more. Had we not been insured by Kaiser the incident would have financially devestated us. Recently my son Daniel lossed his job and became uninsured. He is to old to be insured under our policy and is not eligible for Medi-cal. One medical incident could financially devestate our family. Like most... (more)

I am fortunate to have good health care; however, in my job as a therapist, I hear from others who have lost their healthcare and the pain and problems it causes. I also would be in trouble if I lost my job because being diabetic, hx of cancer, I would not be able to get health care. So it is a worry in the back of my mind. Everyone should take healthcare for granted, each and every one of us deserves to assume their health needs will be met. We are too big and powerful a nation to not take good care of our own.

Wages have been frozen for five years now - except that the RISE IN HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS HAVE CAUSED THE COMPANY TO DEDUCT THE RISE IN PREMIUMS FROM OUR CHECKS. The "stimulus" doesn't even equal the cost of the rise in premiums.

My story is not about a real life situation, but rather, an observation. For decades now most individuals seeking an elected postion have always put in their platform and has made statements about better, affordable and easy access to care. Yet, when they can't pass a budget or if there is another issue to resolve that a "party" favors, (due to partasan politics), the issues always on the cutting board are Health Care and Education. Enough of the broken promises. If you are serious, I stand by you. Thank You.

My son has worked all his life. He was laid off because of the economy. He has a large hernia. Has been waiting since Dec 08 for surgery through U>C> Davis. No health insurance since laid off. He wants to work again but wants surgery first so he won't have to take off time when he starts working again. He's in a lot of pain all the time. Also unemployment ran out. WE need health care for everyone

I've recently discovered a growth of some kind in my neck. I have no way to pay for treatment of whatever it is. I have no health insurance. I had health insurance when I was employed in 2007. I left that job to start my own business...a franchise...the American Dream of owning your own business. I held onto COBRA from my former employer as long as I could; even though it was insanely EXPENSIVE. I didn't want to be without health insurance. I did more research and asked more questions than any previous franchisee. I was as sure as I could be... (more)

I went to work for kasier in 1985, was fired after being injured on the job-3-89. I returned in 8-89 and was injured again and fired again by kaiser in 7-93. I was promised healthcare as part of my wage package and after getting fired the 2nd time, I was sent a COBRA FORM FOR 500.00 for a family of four. I could not afford and have had to rely on my husbands's PPO since 1993. I cannot afford to pay for medicare as a disability insurance because thanks to kaiser, I only receive a small amount of social security. This is where I ended up after... (more)

I wrote about kaiser just a short time ago and how employees could not get their healthcare after filing workers comp and ending up on social security and medicare that the employees paid into out of their work earnings. The other part of the problem is that these employees were discriminated against as soon as they started working for kaiser. Many minorities, blacks, latinos, and woman were denied promotions and the first to be gone after they were deliberately hurt on the job. These same employees were dedicated to the QUALITY of patient... (more)

In September of 2007 i lost my career. I had spent 15 years working on motorcycles,something i have been around most my life.Now i cannot even ride a bicycle because of the pain from the injuries that caused me to no longer be able to work. Now me and my wife do not have health care and haven't hadit since January of this year. My disability has now been exhausted and we"ll be without this income as well. What are we supposed to do?