I am in my mid-twenties. I have "in-case-of-emergency" health insurance only, because I cannot afford the premiums on better health insurance. I avoid going to the doctor for check-ups or any other appointments that I once considered routine when I was under my parents' insurance, because I would have to pay for all medical expenses with my own money, until I spend $2500. I still pay over $60 per month for this "bare-bones" coverage. It is not fair that our government is willing to spend over half a trillion dollars per... (more)

I'm presently paying for my son's medical insurance premiums under an individual policy because he started school late and is now over 24 years old. I just learned that his premiums will increase more than $200 per month (to over $900/month) on June 1. I simply can't afford continuing to cover him with these wild premium increases and unreasonably high premiums. It's time for Congress to pass a universal health care plan, and I'd urge that this include a government insurance option. We must move toward thinking about a health care system... (more)

My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer five months ago. She had surgery and they declared her cancer free. A week ago to our surprise the cancer has returned to her lungs and spread to her liver. I went to visit two days ago and found her on the phone with the doctors office and insurance company. It was awful listening to her go round and round about the deductable and what is covered and what is not. A few days after hearing "if you don't do the chemo, you'll be sick in a month and be dead in six", I thought this is horrible,... (more)

I am a single mother of a 4 1/2 year old little boy. I make too much to get any state healthcare, however I can't afford employee sponsored healthcare. My son is on CoverKids, however the co-payments are extremely high. I have NO health insurance whatsoever, and haven't now for almost 2 years. Having health insurance that I can fit into our budget would be a HUGE relief!

I have been more than blessed with great coverage since I needed it. People's financial well-being should not be devastated by an unforeseen illness. I am willing to do my part. I will be happy to pay more taxes. Whatever it takes. Make this happen guys. please. Thanks tre berney

My brother is a professional who works two jobs, but still lacks quality health insurance. He pays dearly for the bare-bones plan he carries. It has caused him to skip needed medical care and medication and has caused him great stress the past few years. Health care reform would reform his life. My husband & I need a national health insurance option so that he can pursue more education. Right now, him quitting his job to go to school full time is too much of a risk. My work's family insurance plan is $900 a month, which we simply cannot... (more)

For my entire life I've lived and worked in the United States. I've been repeatedly stunned by how many decisions are made based on fear of a change in health care coverage. We make our best life and job related decisions when we're thinking about how our skills fit with the needs of a company, for instance, not when we're considering how the accompanying health care package fits with our families' needs. These are different issues, and must be separated from each other. On a separate note, I don't fear government officials making... (more)

Mr. President, My story is not one of health care costs, but of health care prices. Two years ago, self-employed, my wife and I paid almost $600 a month in health care premiums with a deductible of $2500 for each of us. That's $7500 in deductibles. I tore my ACL in my right knee, and my orthopedic doctor here in Knoxville prescribed and fitted me with a DeRoyal Warrior knee brace. He billed my insurance $1260 for a knee brace that retails on the Internet for $178. Not only did he stick it to my insurance company, he stuck it to me. I had to... (more)

I am "lucky." I have managed to secure a job which first and foremost offers benefits to its full time employees. Secondly, I can afford those benefits to be deducted from my paycheck at a rate of $85 per check every two weeks. The manager at my old job had worked for the small business for over 8 years. They offered her no health benefits. She worked 45 hour workweeks for 7 of those years and has a ten year old son. That is simply wrong. We need real change in America. In Europe our "health care benefits system" is a joke.... (more)

I am fortunate enough to have coverage through my job and my husbands job, but we both pay dearly for this coverage. My only concern is why I still receive bills from my healthcare provider even after they have received payments from both insurance companies. I have suffered without healthcare before and am greatful that I do have coverage now. My son had one genetic test where five vials of blood were drawn, the bill to my insurance companies was over 11 thousand dollars. I quickly called the hospital to explain that they must have added an... (more)

I support reform of health care. In particular I support "nationalized" insurance. I think that failure of the reform will hurt country extremely badly

I am 20 years old, and I haven't had health insurance for two years because it is too expensive for my $14,000/year job. I have had no doctor visits despite situations in which I normally would seek medical assistance/advice.

A few years ago my husband and I applied for long term care insurance. Since I have celiac disease which is totally controlled with a very strict diet which I stick to religiouly, I was turned down. I was told if in a year I still have no other health problems I could apply again. I was furious as you can imagine since I was taking care of myself in everyway to be healthy. The insurance company said that since this is an autoimmune disease they could not take a chance on me. The fact that an insurance company can weild such power must be... (more)

First, God bless you for listening to Americans like myself in need! I am a 40 year female who is very ill. I have had an ongoing infection for 2 years. I have been to reduced to treatment in Emergency rooms where they hand me a script for antibiotics and sent me on my way. This infection has caused my hair to fall out, I have lesions all over my body, I am in constant pain. I am having seizures and almost died from one last week. I had numerous medical problems prior to this infection which the last doctor I saw said could be MRSA(but with no... (more)

I'm one of the lucky ones who has always had good insurance. Now, however, if I didn't have Medicare, I couldn't even buy insurance because I have so many pre-existing conditions (five involving my heart!), plus osteoporosis, hiatal hernia, gastritis, and acid reflux, none of which I acquired through any fault of my own. I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs (and never have). I eat healthy foods, walk an hour a day, and I am not more than 10 or so pounds overweight. In other words, I did all the right things, but I still have so many things... (more)

We need health care reform immediately! My medical insurance premiums are my highest monthly expense, even higher than my mortgage. And this does not factor in my co-payments for visits and drugs, or for my yearly deductible cost. Eighteen months ago my premiums jumped 30% and I've been told they will jump again in 3 years by at least another 30%. I had hoped to retire in 3 years but if the premiums keep increasing, I'll have to postpone retirement. I'm a pretty healthy person and pray that I'll stay that way because I can't afford to get... (more)

I'm 26 and recently got my bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee. I'm now going back to UT this fall to get my teaching license/master's degree. While I have been at school and will be again, I am working a part-time job which does not provide me with health care coverage. Naturally, I cannot afford independent health care for myself. This means that I will not have health care until I graduate again and get a job as a teacher. If I were to get sick or have an accident of any sort, I would be in a world of trouble. This, of... (more)

My story concerns my godmother, 58 year old Vicky Timmel. Within the last year Vicky found out that she had cervical cancer, and was going to need a hysterectomy; a procedure that over 622,000 American women undergo every year. She has worked all her life as a nanny to children, including myself and my mother, aunt and uncle. She has never been able to afford health insurance and obviously since she is working for families it was not provider for her. As a result of not having health insurance she was told that she had to have an abdominal... (more)

My godmother has had a problem with debt (credit card and mortgage) for a while, but her family finally convinced her (and helped her) to pay it down. She was almost debt-free when she got breast cancer. Even though she has what most call good health insurance, the uncovered part of her medical expenses was more than she could pay with her pension, and with nowhere else to turn she had to start putting the costs on her credit cards to survive day-to-day. Now she is back to being heavily in debt, and had to take out a 2nd mortgage to try and... (more)

I was laid off in June 2008 and am currently on COBRA. I have not been able to find a job and decided to take early retirement as I turned 62 in December. I have until the end of this year before my COBRA ends and I'm finding that potential insurerers are viewing such things as my taking cholesteral lowering medicine as a "preexisting condition" even though I take it to improve my health. By the time they "underwrite" things like that for me and my wife, the rates are incredibly high. I'll get some relief when I can go on... (more)