I am a retired vet. Recently, i had to go to a hospital for an emergency...Because I can carry only part A on medicare, i received a bill for over $3,000 ...my VA insurance payed about $300.00 of the bill....After retirement, medical insurance should be provided on a non contributory basis...Part B medicare is to much for a husband and wife to handle.

My 23 year old son has health insurance for the first time in four years through his employer. Unfortunately, he has to work 12-15 hour days to keep this job. If he leaves he will be without coverage again. Cooperate with President Obama and pass responsible healthcare reform now.

My story does not fit neatly into one of the categories, but is definitely a serious issue. Both my wife and my daughter suffered from cancer some years ago. We have been fortunate that both are survivors and their care was ultimately covered by health insurance. In both cases, however, I had to fight to get the care that was needed. Insurance companies were denying coverage for needed treatment and were rejecting appeals to see specialists. In both cases I had to fight and appeal and force these companies to provide what they were... (more)

I'm a student struggling through college. Tuition is already high enough, without the cost of health care draining my wallet. Sometimes it becomes a choice between health care and textbooks or food. I shouldn't have to move to Canada to afford health care AND books for school, right?

The solution to rising health care costs is more coverage for primary prevention. The key is to keep the well, well and the at risk, at risk. Right now medicare does not cover pre-diabetes at the preventative stage. It's not until the disease is full blown will medicare provide coverage. This is why health care costs are so high. Preventing the disease before it happens is the way of the future of health care.

In 1975, when I was 12 years old, my youngest brother was born with a plethora of physical abnormalities including a cleft palate and club feet. He endured numerous surgeries as well as speech and physical therapy and special education for many years. Like so many others in the late 70's, my Dad was unemployed and therefore without insurance. As a result, my family was financially devastated. We survived, but I'm still not sure how. I do know that our lives would have been much better if quality, affordable healthcare had been a reality back... (more)

Our family has lived both in Australia and Europe. In both locations, we received wonderful health care at a fraction of the cost to us. Yes, our taxes were higher but it balanced out. We actually received more services because we weren't constantly battling with insurance companies. I believe if the American public were honestly spoken to about what President Obama's plan entails, there would be very little opposition. As an aside, I don't understand how the "pro-life" party can be against health care for children. ... (more)

I have a history of skin cancer. I had to wait until my insurance would cover the costs to have another cancerous growth removed from my face. The insurance companies shouldn't be the ones to determine what medical procedures I have done. That is what the doctors and staff were trained to do...Not the insurance companies!!

I am a healthcare provider and I see first hand how imperative it is that we get coverage for every citizen in our country. We don't have coverage here for preventative care and we could help our patients before the disease/condition becomes life threatening. I am a Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. I see this everyday, how I can help these patients but my hands are tied and they cannot afford to pay out of pocket for my services if they have Pre-Diabetes. Please help our country needs this and our world needs this! Thank you,... (more)

My son has had to endure the heartache of watching his young adult life pass him by without much participation while he battled the pains associated with severe scoliosis and epileptic seizures because he could not afford appropriate healthcare and the much needed medication. I have had to watch my Mother slowly and painfully die each day for two months because her family doctor refused to send her for appropriate tests--because he was incented to avoid refering her to "specialists". As a result what her doctor insisted was... (more)

25% of my monthly income goes towards paying for health insurance through my job. My husband is self-employed and, because of the poor economy, has worked less and less as each month goes by. Therefore, my paycheck is more important for living expenses. We get hit from both sides: lower income and higher health care costs.

I've worked in the insurance industry. I know that their concern for their costs far exceeds their interest in the patient. Employees with NO medical expertise or even experience, sometimes little general education, may be deciding what the doctors can or cannot do for their patients. This is Wrong! Doctors should be able to prescribe as they see fit and the costs should be reasonable enough that everyone may seek necessary treatment!

Currently unemployed not able to pay for cobra since it is just too high. Unemployment check can't cover all expenses plus cobra.

My company was taken over by a larger competitor. All of the executives were let go. Looking to form a small business, I was faced with getting health insurance on my own for a family of 4. The process was horrible. The applications were long, complicated and confusing. And I am an attorney! We soon discovered that private health insurance (as opposed to group plans through your job) was extremely expensive. Even worse, the insurance companies were refusing to cover my then 2 year old son. At birth the doctors ran extra tests on him,... (more)

Health care is a joke. I have been denied health care because of a lab error in blood testing, that was corrected with another test, yet I still was denied. I have many more stories.

I, like many of my friends haven't had health care since I was 19 (9 years ago). Neither of my sisters have health care. My parents have health care but if my mother loses her job, which in these last few months seems entirely possible, she will be out of health insurance. My Mom's case is particularly scary because she has had cancer in the past and if she becomes unemployed she will be completely unable to afford heath care because she is in a "high risk" bracket. Please help health care become affordable to ALL. Thank you for your... (more)

I'm going to retire in the next few weeks and I need more affordable healthcare. Actually, I've refused some medical advice because it's too expensive even with my employer's BC/BS coverage. We really need reform!!

My name is Jen Ostrum. I am 34 years old, a wife, and a mother of four children. We had our three girls close together in 1998, 2000, and 2002. In 2006 we found out that we were unexpectedly going to have another baby. My pregnancy with our son was unremarkable, with the exception of my ever increasing blood pressure. I was treated with medication throught the pregnancy, but still required an emergency c-section because of pre-eclampsia. I was told that delivering early would cause my blood pressure to regulate... (more)

I'm in full agreement with President Obama's requirements for health care reform. But I would go one step farther. The only people who should profit from health care are health care providers. From that starting point, private insurance companies, whose purpose is to make a profit, should be eliminated from the health care equation. They don't add anything to the equation but a bureaucracy which stands between the patients and their providers, raking the money off the top. Of course we all know the answer, but Congress seems afraid of... (more)

My husband and I pay $1600 a month for BCBS Ins. that only covers 80% of our health care expenses, does not cover many things and has a high deductable. We go without many things so we are able to have Health Ins. We also have 2 adult sons that are disabled. For us aging folks and for all that are disabled, please make SURE that GREAT health care is available for ALL.