Before my husband, Anthony, had a job that had health insurance, we had to go the E.R. From something as small as a Nasal infection, to something as big as Blood Poisoning. We went to St. Joseph's Hospital(in Bryan, TX), they will not turn a patient around because they can't pay, because we didn't have health insurance, we were still billed for the medical visit. At that time we were making enough just to get by, and the medical bills ended up going on his credit report. We are still trying to pay something every month, just so we can get this... (more)

1) Mom, in her 80's has great insurance as a retiree from a Civil Service job. Recently she had to lay on a gurney in an emergency room for 5 days because there weren't enough available beds in a well-regarded church-affiliated hospital in a nice suburban metropolitan area. There were dozens of people with the same problem, they were stacking them up in the hallways. And 2 of her doctors were actually affiliated with that hospital. 2) Mom's insurance covered less than somebody from a wealthy neihborhood for the same test using the same... (more)

Before we were married, my wife had to have abdominal surgery, at a time she did not have health insurance. It took her years to pay the hospital bill, and that only because the doctor and hospital allowed her to do a time payment. Fortunately, she soon became employed full time making this possible. Too many people are not as lucky and go without medical care until it's too late for them. Western European countries see the value of national health care, and it's something we need to follow if we're going to continue being an advanced... (more)

Doctors are given financial incentives to do expensive and often unnecessary "procedures". (1) I had an infected toe. My primary care provider, and internist, said he didn't do toes, and referred me to a podiatrist. The podiatrist wanted to remove the nail, an outpatient surgery that would be painful. I told him to prescribe an antibiotic, which is all I needed in the past. I needed a renewal of the prescription, but it healed me. (2) I told my primary health care provider I had a muscular problem, expecting him to send me to... (more)

I am in my twenties and can't afford health insurance as it is now.

I have been fortunate to have had excellent health care through my jobs, fortunate to have enjoyed good health. This year I begin Medicare and am worried that good doctors won't take me as a patient. My community has few and fewer internists. I have been a social worker, know the difficulties lack of health care adds to other problems, am thunderstruck at having to worry for myself. Please fix it, and ensure more good doctors stay in practice. Diane Linn

I had been paying for health insurance since I came as an immigrant. At 40 I had utrine cancer.They paid for my surgery,then doubled my rates as soon as I was I out of the hospital and then CANCELLED my insurance because they felt I was high risk!!!Had to wait nail-biting 5 years before any insurance co. would even look at my application.

I recently visited the ER for chest pain and was released fairly quickly (about 3 hours). The doctor, who saw me for about 5 minutes, diagnosed a pulled back muscle. The diagnosis was a relief that lasted until I received the bill. The total visit was over 6,000 dollars, including doctor and x-rays. My insurance picked up all but 1,600. which I am thankful for, but come on. What care did I receive that could have possibly been so expensive? Are you kidding me? I am appalled at the health care in this country. Nobody cares about the patient... (more)

My daughter is going to Nursing school, is too old to be covered on mine and has no coverage. Hopefully nothing will happen to her in the next 18 mos.

I live in Texas, and here it is mandatory that an employee goes for the first three months of their employment without employer paid healthcare benefits. Yet because I am a responsible person, I have paid the exorbitant cost ($500 for a three month period). Although I am a young, healthy graduate student, I feel it is irresponsible to go uninsured. Nonetheless, I can no longer pay those exorbitant costs when I graduate and find a job - it is too expensive to be responsible given that I am relatively young and healthy. Also, my father is a... (more)

I just graduated with a Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering and I decided to go to grad school on the condition that it was fully funded (which means I would also get a health insurance plan). After a year of school my advisor dropped my funding and now I'm no longer covered by a health insurance plan, and I definately can't afford to buy health insurance for myself since I have to pay to finish grad school myself. It makes me really scared that I don't have health insurance and it's tempting to drop out of grad school and try to get a job,... (more)

I have been volunteering at Planned Parenthood in Bryan, Texas for almost 5 years. In that time I have seen women and men desperate for affordable health care services. Many of them are not insured, and are only trying to receive preventative care, which actually saves taxpayers money! The lack of access to preventative care, especially in reproductive health, leads to many unintended pregnancies, which in turn lead to medicaid births, costing millions of dollars and keeping lower income families struggling to provide for themselves and... (more)

My widowed mother, who lives on Social Security and savings, is one of those folks who makes health care and medication decisions based on how much they cost. Even though I can help with the cost, she remembers the Depression and refuses to take a hand out from me or anyone else. My own costs have continued to increase and covered services decrease. Compared to most, I've got good coverage, but it's getting worse, not better every year.

Since my mother, a pioneering female pediatrician who played an important role in medical history, was forced to quit her practice because of overwhelming malpractice premiums, I have been aware of the crushing effect of the insurance industry with its massive bureaucratic costs on the physicians and other 'health care providers' of this country, as well as their patients. Too much valuable time is taken up filling in forms and arguing with gatekeepers. Administrative costs are uncontrolled in this as in other corporate entities. Secretaries... (more)

I have been fortunate enough to hold jobs that allow me relatively inexpensive access to healthcare. I recognize that privilege comes from my social standing and that there are many in America who don't have those same privileges. Even with health insurance , I have found myself having to argue bills the hospitals didn't even understand for relatively minor care, and been overcharged on several occasions and had to fight for accurate audits. The LAST thing people who are sick need is to fight to understand their bill or make sure they... (more)

our private market health care has gotten far out of control. the costs have been driven to the max and what we now have is a primary focus on pocketing pharmaceuticals, doctors and hospitals and lastly, affordable health prevention and care. Personally, in Texas the allergies are aweful. My husband and 2 boys are on singular. the price for a 3 month supply is less than per month. we paid 150.00 to refill 2 of their prescriptions. Change this and stop the fear factor of socialist threat-it is a hoax! Becky in Texas and a true President Obama... (more)

If my father did not have Kaiser Permanente Health Care as part of his retirement package from Placer Country, CA, he and we would have been bankrupted by health costs. When will Congress get out of the pocket of the insurance companies and start serving their true constituents? Only by covering everyone will this be affordable for all!

One Friday night I suffered sudden and excruiating pain in my abdomen. I could not stand up because my vision would go black and the dizziness would increase ten-fold. An ambulance was called for me... my blood pressure was 80/50 so I was rushed to The Med E.R. There I laid in a bed for over 10 hours while the nurses gave the pain meds. At some point they wrote up the discharge papers and took away all my monitoring equipment. The whole time I was never able to stand up. Eventually, after the morning shift change, the nurse brought the doctor... (more)

Over the last two decades I have helped start and run a non-profit housing organization that builds affordable homes in partnership with low-income families that live in substandard dwellings. During that time I have come to understand the difficulty experienced by low-income wage earners in obtaining health care for their families. The emotional and economic setbacks they experience when someone in their family becomes ill is heartbreaking. I have watched husbands and wives, who hold down 3 or four part time jobs, make the... (more)

I was born a premie 4 months early 30 years ago. If my parents hadn't had coverage I'm sure they would still have been paying off my medical bills. As long as I can remember they've always stressed getting a job with insurance, which I've had for almost two years now. However before this period of time, I had to pay for private BCBS insurance which never covered anything since it was mostly for emergencies. I am a migrainer and rely on costly medicines, and other meds for my OCD/Anxiety issues. The pain clinic I was a patient at was at least a... (more)