My health care nightmare revolved around my son who just completed graduate school, and now in search of a new job having earned a Master's degree in Public Health Epidemilogy. He was dropped off my work insurance which he belonged once he attained age 23 years. This was at the height of gastrointestinal problems that were causing him to have gastritis. Luckily, the university has a PPO kind of insurance albeit insufficient that I bought into to enable him to have some coverage. I also tried to get him another insurance coverage from other... (more)

Hello, My name is Dina and I'm for the Health Plan President Obama has produced. I'm a parent of 4 children so health care is a must for me. Having a low cost health care program is so important to me because it seems like half of my paycheck goes to health care but my children need it so I have no choice. We all need health care so having a plan that gives us the three principals the president mentioned are exactly what we need right now. Health care is too expensive for me at this time. With Respect, D.Flores

I am self employed and dropped my health care plan this year because I could not afford it ($15,000 a year). Despite the fact that I have had full health insurance for 40 years, I cannot get a plan that does not exclude pre-existing conditions. Please reform health care NOW>

I was born in England and took universal health care for granted. I have lived in USA for 30 years and been a citizen since 1980 and want the same peace of mind for my children and grandchildren and all my fellow citizens

My son is a recovering substance abuser. He has multiple health problems. If it wasn't for medicaid, he would not be able to get care because he is a diabetic.

I'm a free-lance, VERY full time performing arts professional, as is my husband. We both work long hours, and we both manage to make a living in the arts -- and we're proud of that, since it isn't an easy feat in this country. But neither of us has health coverage ... it's almost impossible for a free-lancer to get! Our jobs are unusual, but our situation is not. The old 40-hour-a-week-company-job-that-you-keep for-30-years model is fast disappearing; people have multiple part-time jobs, or are self-employed, or change jobs frequently. ... (more)

I am a mother with two children, and though they are covered by healthcare, my choice to work part-time so I can be at home with the girls in afternoons means that I must buy coverage separately. As I age the cost keep rising despite the fact I am healthy and rarely seek medical care. I am need of coverage I can afford with out working full time.

My 18 year old niece Ashley graduates from Clarksburg HS on June 8. She works part time at Einstein Bagel in Maryland making 7.50/hour. She is not going full time to college and thus ineligible for health care through school. He employer notified her that requesting healthcare through the company would basically nullify her biweekly check. She is afraid to graduate - aware of the high cost of basic necessities. She told me today 5/20, that she is afraid of graduation

United State should learn to adopt European countries' health care practice. What I desire is a root cause style reform. Heath care system is a chain reaction with many actors in the platform, the reform should be a comprehensive one. Don't give any room for any actors to manipulate at the cost of the patient.

Dear Mr. President, I am lucky enough to be able to afford health care. The company that I work for pays a portion and I contribute as well. Even with my coverage, between the paycheck deduction, meeting a deductible, prescription drugs, etc. last year my family and I (husband and one child) spent over $800 per month. We make a decent living but these costs areway too expensive. I know I do not have to convince you of that! On another note, thank you for the great job you are doing!

My story is the same as every single parent. Health care is robbing us of our health. Premiums are priced beyond reasonable and we struggle every week to meet the payments just so we can survive and we pray that we never actually need to submit a claim.

My mother died of cancer less than a year ago after a 25 year battle which began with a breast cancer diagnosis in 1982 and a recurance in 1990 and the final bout in December 2007. Her doctors and she fought hard for her life but she and we always worried about the medical bills and what insurance would cover. It was a weight that was ever looming as we made medical decisions to try to save her life. My mother's struggle ended June 29, 2008 at the age of 66. Within two weeks of her death my father was diagnosed with end stage liver disease.... (more)

My name is Aaron Jones,I've been unemployedfor over nine months I'm a diabetic with cateracs in both my eyes, I was about to get surgery one the right eye just hours before my surery, the place where I was getting the surgery done call and said I needed to bring with me $4,400.00 for the cost of the operation room, which I didn't have because I had inacquit insurance. My driver's License expires in September and I still need that operation and I can't get help to get it.I think it's horrible that I'm a U.S.citzen who worked hard all my life... (more)

The cost of health care is out of reach for many people...and getting worse everyday. Its utterly ridiculous for these insurance companies to be the ones in the drivers seat. Pass real laws to protect us from them.

I volunteer at a free mobil clinic for those who are uninsured and/or underinsured. In the past year the numbers attending the clinic have grown do to the economy. The clinic can only do so much - everyone deserves the same quality health care as members of Congress.

My family and I have sufficient and quality care due to our income. However, it is not a comfort to know many among our citizen lack even the most basic health care coverage, especially in this wealthy country of ours! I am troubled that you and congress are afraid to ask me and people like me to contribute so others can enjoy the same care as I do! Sir, with all do respect, you do not need my health care story, I believe you have heard it all...IT IS TIME TO CALL FOR SOME ACTION!!!

As an active duty Family Nurse Practitioner I see everyday what quality and easily available healthcare does for people. I believe all American deserve affortable and accessable healthcare!

I am writing to say that i'm a lucky one ,for now. I come from a family with Polycystic kidney disease. I am an otherwise healthy 52 year old male in the fine jewelery business in a local mall in Bethesda, Md. My kidneys have failed and I am on dialysis. My Mom was on dialysis and her brother were too, nutil complications from the disease took their lives. All three of us have been gainfully employed and have health care thru BCBS. Thankfully we three qualified for medicare due to the kidney failure clause. Our medicine expenses have... (more)

I faced a sudden illness in college due to a near fatal blood clot at age 23. My college insurance dropped me because I didn't get back to college that semester. My bill came to $75,000.00 which forced me to consider dropping out to work full time and pay it off. My professors and the hospital President paid it in full. I will never be able to thank these individuals enough. No American who becomes suddenly ill should have to face imminent financial ruin because he or she is too sick to work, go to school, or from getting dropped as I did... (more)

I am a physician and so my perspective may be a bit different. I have worked in fee for service, HMO's, the VA and now I work for the US FDA. For sevaral years I worked in an ER in California. I feel strongly that the way health care is managed in this country is shameful and mainly designed to produce profits for insurance companies at the expense of the public. When I met now President Obama years ago at an LCV reception, I told the then Senator that I thought health care reform was the most important issue facing this country. I am... (more)