I am a minister, constantly dealing with families who are truly suffering under the current system-- working people who are forced into poverty because of bills not covered by insurance or who did not have insurance, people who waited too long to get helth care because they could not pay, and suffered dire consequences as a result. Many stories. Caroline Price-Gibson

I have just retired and the Blue Cross Insurance is threating to raise my Insurance as a result of not actively contributing to the program as an active member. I still have money in the program and will self pay after that runs out. That's not good enough. It's irritating. Gary

In Janurary of 07 I began suffering from severe stomach pains. As a result I completely lost most of my appetite. The sad part of this story is the fact that it took me nearly eight months to get a diagnosis just becuase of the fact that I didn't have health insurance and thus had no way to pay the expenses of some of the tests that would have diagnosed me sooner. In the end it turned out my it was my gallbladder that was causing all of the trouble, but I still suffered way too long becuase of the fact that I didn't have health insurance.

During an ice storm in January, 2007, I fell in my driveway and broke my foot. The damage was so severe, I needed surgery within a few days or I would have potentially been crippled. The local hospital was in my United HealthCare "Network" and the Emergency Room referred me to a local trauma surgeon who was accredited to practice there. I contacted another orthopedic surgeon in town and was informed that his specialty was back surgery, not trauma. Furthermore, he would not be able to schedule an office visit for another week,... (more)

I was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes when I was 9 years old. It was 1976. Of course, back then things for me were far more simpler because Mom and Dad took care of the bills. Over the years, I've held different jobs with different insurance benefits. Honestly, none of them was that great. If I had the power and the money, I would take the best part of each of the insurances' benefits and combine them into one type of insurance. I have to buy multiple "non-durable" goods in addition to my insulin and other medications that I am on.... (more)

I am sick and tired of having insurance companies dictate health care of my patients! Why the hell did I even bother with medical school and residency? If only I'd known it would be more fruitful to have learned a 2-week course on medical billing, so that way I could "really" know what's best for my patients. What galls me most about our current situation is that several experts whom I trust as knowledgeable in medical economics have proposed that, as a country, if we went toward a more centralized/single-payor system, we could... (more)

Adequate health care should be considered part of "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness" not just a benefit to the rich. I see no good reason to enrich the insurance companies on the backs of those who are sick. Money going to the insurance companies is wasted. They produce nothing to contribute to the economy. It is a parasitic business. This function can be better handled by the government.

I myself have medicare and medicaid I am restricted as to what I can earn because of medicaid. I'm 69 years old and have COPD not sure I can even get a gap insurance. I'm still active and will inherit some money not enough to be able to say goodbye to medicaid for forever...probably just enough to mess me up..then what will I be able to get back on after inheritage is gone?? It's scarey. My kids work have family but don't have health care can't afford it. So kids are on and off medicaid...To many things to quailify just over the line. ... (more)

My husband has MS, after his diagnosis we would have been unable to get health insurance if he wasn't in a group. My grandson has type I diabetes and will soon turn 18 and will not be able to get his own insurance, he currently has to under go monthly infusions in the hospital to build up his immunity and will have to do this the rest of his life, these cost about $8000 each time, plus all the other costs of dibetes.

Hi, I am a mental health provider. I am also a diabetic with no insurance. When I left a position where I had benefits, the COBRA insurance I was offered had a premium of nearly $1600.00 for a myself, my husband, and one remaining child living at home. I have seen the health care crisis from the perspective of both provider and patient. I want to say that if we are going to change health care in America, we have to start where the problem really starts, so I hope that as President Obama goes forward on finding and implementing solutions to... (more)

I am a 60 year farm wife so we have to get our own health insurance. The premiums are so high that the only way that we can afford them is by having a $5,000. deductible. This winter I was having chest pains and the doctor ordered a stress test which took about an hour. The bill for this test was almost $4,000 and that did not include the doctor's bills. Fortunately we can afford this bill but it will be difficult. I wonder about all of the people out there that need a stress test and will not be able to pay for it. There are many of... (more)

I am a practicing pharmacist. To reduce cost and make health care affordable. 1. Need to reduce the number of payors this includes insurance copanies and Pharmacy benefit managers. 2. Need to control the escalating cost of phamaceuticals. Allow us to purchace from canadian and french wholesalers.3. Need to limit powers of health insurance providers they need to be brought under anti trust laws. Need to limit the power of PBM, they need to get out of prescribing meds. It is hard to swollow paying for health insurance and having them not... (more)

I am a disabled vet, mother, and wife. Healthcare for me through my husbands work would be 300. Each of my children (2) would be 250. This wouldn't even cover dental and deductables are over 1000. We need affordable options. VA care is very low quality. That is my only choice.

I sopport Obomas efort to reform health care. I am feed up with the drug companys and insurance companys having there own way on these matters!!!!!!! Ram it down there throat chocking and gageing lest theY ram there ajenda down ours!!!!!!! In 1991 i landed up in the Hospital with blood clots and with no insurance because i could not afford it,and with the medical bills billding up ,which ended my work , it were not for that i could fight for disabilaty ,which took over 18 months to win i woul have not got the help i did. since i been retired... (more)

I am curently employeed part-time, so I am not eligible for health insurance through my job. I am a retired verteran of the US Navy Reserves, so I am entitled to some benefits throiugh the VA which I so pay for. The care is somehwat substandard in my opinion, but I do appreciate it.

Our story isn't of catastrophe, it's of how the current system robs us all. My husband and I followed the American dream -- I started my own private practice as a trauma counselor, and my husband works from home in his own business doing medical billing. We are both normally healthy people who cannot find truly affordable healthcare because we are not part of a group. Regardless of what Sen. Ben Nelson says, the healthcare system is BROKE. Our premium is $1500/month, and that's with very high deductibles...mine is $1500 but my husband's... (more)

I am angry that, after nearly 30 years in the workforce and being a productive, tax-paying citizen, I will be unable to obtain affordable health insurance simply because I am getting divorced. I have been a professional but have always chosen to be insured under my spouse's insurance because it was more affordable and was the family plan option to cover the children already. Now, due to some pre-existing conditions, I MIGHT be able to get health care at almost $1,000/month, unless I can find a job in this economy that provides some form of... (more)

This is not about me it is about my mother paying way to much for the pills she needs. You see she has a Schizoaffctive Disorder. Basically she is Schizophrenic. Her Anti-Phycotic medication is off the wall in price. Plus she has a ton of other mental and physical disorders. She has insurance but is not worth a hoot. If we can get competition like the President says and prices can go down. Then maybe we would be out of the red and into the blue. We need compitition. We need cheaper prices on medication. Thank You ... (more)

I am a dentist, so I know first hand about the perils in today's health care climate. I feel the need to work with people to optimize their teeth by prevention, so that I am the last resort.

I am a 38 year old and was very proud to have been working as a staff and charge RN BSN at the GIVA. The patients there no matter how grump or rude to me, deserved the best treatment I could give them because in their past they gave the best for me fighting for my freedom losing a lot in their life, some losing their lives, some losing limbs, and all losing a part in their mind causing Post Tramatic Stress Disorder. They came home to their families totally different people and often treated themselves for their disorder with drugs, diet and... (more)