In 1996, I was two years into my attempt to build a small exhibit & event production company in Florida. I had a dream; and poured all my time, energy, experience and resources into it. Upon receiving many astronomical quotes, I determined that there were no affordable health care plans available to me, a 42 year old female, struggling entrepreneur. Being young and strong, I decided to take my chances without an insurance policy. Late that summer while preparing to travel, I wasn't feeling well and dropped into an urgent care clinic,... (more)

I'm a student that the insurance companies refuse to cover. Even though I qualify for health coverage under my parents, there is way too much red tape for the average person to be able to cut through just to get to a real person who is willing to help out in your time of need. Because the insurance company has refused to acknowledge that they've receieved my dozens of emails, phone calls, and faxes, when I got sick with strep throat last summer I ended up with a $1200 emergency room bill that I still haven't been able to pay on.

After being laid off twice, my husband was one of the "lucky ones" who found another job. Unfortunately, the pay is significantly lower, but I thought to myself, "At LEAST we have insurance!!" While looking for ways to cut back, my husband was presented with a "choice" of healthcare plans, one of which would NOT charge us $190 a month (as his previous one did) plus co-payments, but allow us to use a Flexible Spending Account. Talk about playing Russian Rulet. While the fist half of 2009 has not... (more)

I am part of the working poor. I have no health insurance. About a year ago I suffered a heart attack that destroyed 70% of my heart muscle. I am on medication to preserve and protect the remaining heart muscle. But being a self-pay patient, I am limited in my access to quality healthcare and any other treatment that the doctors have recommended. I know that when push comes to shove, I will, as I have done before, opt to pay essential bills (housing, utilities, food for the family, etc) before I seek medical help. This is not a choice any... (more)

Both my parents, in their 80s, have excellent health care plans from their former employers. In fact, they're too good. Frankly, I believe their doctors are exploiting the plans. For instance, my mother's cardiologist insists she have all heart catherizations in his office. Then if there's a problem he has her admitted into the hospital which is right across the street for surgery. She's had a series of stents implanted and each time, it's a trip to the cardiologist office for the catherization, then a trip to the hospital for another... (more)

Dear Elected Representatives, Our neice and her husband have a precious 3 year old little girl. Her name is Aislyn. Aislyn was recently diagnosed with neuro blastoma cancer. Fortunately, my neice and her husband are employed (small private corporations) and the family is covered by health insurance. Aislyn's milignant tumor has been shrunk by chemotherapy; however, she had to have major surgery at Sloan Kettering in NYC to remove the tumor. The tumor wrapping her aorta could not be surgically removed. More chemo. My neice's employer... (more)

My name is Lisa Green. I am a 41 year-old mother of two young boys. When I was 22 I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor and immediately underwent two brain surgeries, one to remove the tumor and one to place a permanent drain. I was fortunate, I had health insurance at the time of my diagnosis. What I would come to learn is the benign tumor and lifesaving surgeries forever abolished my ability to obtain health insurance on my own. The only way for me to have health insurance is to be a part of a large group plan, the type usually... (more)

I am fortunate to have had medical coverage for myself and my family. Many in my country are not, but I go to school in Canada, where every citizen is covered from birth to death. There are lines at the emergency room, there aren't enough general practitioners, and it can sometimes be hard to get trivial medical care without waiting for more serious cases to be taken care of. Despite our private health care in America, we share all these problems. In Canada, they make sure to take care of all the people, promising everything from emergency... (more)

I don't know if it would be considered a "story". My wife and I are both self-employed in the beauty industry; and by self employed, I mean we rent stations from which we conduct our businesses. We have 2 girls in college, and with the help of student loans, my wife and I in addition, have been struggling to help them with their living expenses, as parents, we feel this is our obligation. Problem is, our budget does not provide enough for medical insurance for either my wife nor I. And just recently our biggest fears became reality,... (more)

I was laid off July 22, 2008. I have not had insurance since then. A few days after I was laid off I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. I had a severe case of vertigo. No insurance,living off of my taxed unemployment for the past 10 months. you know the rest

When my husband and I were laid off, we lost our medical benefits. We cannot afford to replace them. We are both in our 50s and it is necessary that we have medical insurance. Yet it is also necessary for us to eat and have a roof over our heads. My son who just turned 18 and is still in high school does not have medical insurance because we cannot even afford the state run kidcare. My current income is now 1/4 of what I used to make and my husbands is only 3/4 of what he used to make. $122 a month is too much for us to pay.

I cannot find a doctor to treat me as most do not accept Medicare so I continue to look. I rely on a doctor who calls on homebound patients, but I could be treated if only I could find a doctor who accepted Medicare and Blue Cross/Blue Shield, my secondary. I think doctors have TOO much paperwork and they are no longer able to treat patients. I think that we must radically change our health care system, the cost of the paperwork system now used is driving everyone crazy.

Many doctors will not accept patients unless they have health insurance, even if you can pay for the doctor's visit. If you can't afford health insurance you're screwed. The monster health insurance "machine" has taken over health care and dictates who gets care and who doesn't. Health care needs to be available to everyone. A nation is it's people - and healthier nation is a stronger nation.

I had a preventative bilateral mastectomy due to a very high risk of breast cancer. The surgery is very involved - lasting 4 or 5 hours, and the insurance company approved this but as an OUTPATIENT procedure! I could not use my arms for weeks, and they expected me to go home that day??? Fortunately my Dr. could override that, and I had a two night stay in the hospital, with home health care daily for several weeks afterward to change the bandages. But the thought of others, who do not have a Dr. like mine, having to experience the trauma... (more)

My husband and I are both teachers, although my husband now works for a prison ministry. Until three years ago, we have never had really good insurance. We always had a high deductible, usually 2,000 or $3,000 and on a teacher's salary that is money you usually don't have. We have two children. One of them is 26 years old and has no insurance. He has always been a waiter and most restaurants don't provide health benefits. He has a back condition that needs treatment but he can't afford it. In addition, because of the back and the fact... (more)

My partner and I have been together as a couple for 11 years now. During this time we have seen health care options being taking wawy and the costs rising. It does not make much sense when health care options get reduced as the costs of existing options continue to increase. Our lives are very dependent on what we can afford to address our health care needs. Since we have been together, we have made huge sacrifices with our families needs. The one thing that stands out is the sacrifices we have taken to get my daughter through her college... (more)

My daughter and her family (husband and 2 sons) currently have no health care coverage due to her husbands job loss of over a year ago. My daughter was doing contract work, which carries no benefits at all, and recently obtained a new job, but must wait 6 months before she will be eligible for benefits. The family's income has been drastically reduced due to the current economic situation and so they are unable to afford to buy health insurance outside of a group plan. And 3 of the 4 family members have ongoing health issues for which they are... (more)

My Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. If she did not have insurance, I do not know what we would have all done. Everyone should be eligible for the same healthcare at an affordable cost.

My parents are upper-middle class, conservative Republicans in their sixties. They had good, solid, private-pay health insurance. Last year my father needed heart surgery, and because of legal loopholes in their 100-page insurance document, they are now saddled with a $200,000 medical bill. My parents are lucky that they can afford this, but they have a new-found awareness of how broken the U.S. healthcare system is.

Mine isn't so serious as heart problems or cancer, but I too have suffered from the lack of proper, affordable health care. Last year, around April or June, I started developing pinprick-like feelings in my abdominal area, too low to be my stomach. I wasn't too worried, figuring it was some muscle thing, but when I started having changes in bowel movements, including diarrhea, and seeing bright red blood, I became worried and scared. I had no other choice but to see a doctor, despite not having the insurance to cover it. I started seeing... (more)