Nearly 2 years ago I decided to opt out of my company's health care coverage for two reasons: 1) due to my age (60+) the "actuaries" have decided I'm a higher risk and therefore my premium doubled. Nice, huh? The fact that I had never visited a doctor or hospital, have no significant medical history, do not take any prescription medications, and am in excellent health is of no consequence. I'm penalized because of my age...even though others in our company had families who were treated for all sorts of maladies from broken bones to... (more)

My story will not be much compared to others, but I feel it should still be shared. My husband has been unemployed for over a year. He has been without health insurance for nearly two years. He tried to apply for private health care as soon as he found out he would be out of work. He was denied coverage for being diagnosed as bipolar a few years ago. He has been without medication by choice for several years. We have been fortunate that he has not had any major health issues (besides dealing with being bipolar). If he anything would... (more)

My husband and I lost our COBRA benefits on 4/30/09. I tried to price individual health plans and they were priced way out of our range. I found one that was somewhat affordable, but the company won't take my because I had a recent surgery to fix a hiatal hernia. We had to settle for a catastropic policy which doesn't cover much of anything, but at least it's something until we can get into a group plan or something else.

I had back surgery & was unemployed for 2 years. I am now filing bankruptcy because of medical bills & no health insurance. Blue Cross raised my rates twice in one year from 347 per month to 591 per month it's too much for an individual to pay. Please help get universal healthcare passed

Dear Mr. President, I very much support the core principals of your health care reform act. In 1993, I missed a payment to my insurer, I was canceled by the company. Because of my pre-existing conditions, which include bi-polar disorder, I am uninsurable. My medicdal costs are $10,000 per year for doctors and prescription drugs. Even though I am a practicing attorney, this dollar amount puts a huge strain on my finances each year. It goes without saying that if I deveeloped cancer, or some other life threatening disease, I would lack the... (more)

My father was diagnosed with stage IV stomach cancer nearly six years ago. I took a leave of absence from my job to go take care of him and was appalled at how the insurance companies work. My father was one of the fortunate people that had decent health care coverage and I know how insufficient the good coverage was. I spent nearly a year after my fathers death dealing with the insurance company and fighting about coverage. It breaks my heart to know that people die every day because they can't afford the care that they need. I have never... (more)

I grew up on the middle end of the low class. We weren't totally poor, but we struggled hard. My mother was a loving, hard working, and strong person who was dealt some shitty hands. When I was about 3 years old, my alcoholic, abusive father left only to be heard from once every couple years with zero intention to take any role in my life, especially financially. My mother worked hard and often, usually double shifts 6-7 days a week. She was responsible, healthy, and educated. She worked as a waitress while putting herself through college and... (more)

I've been a probation officer for nearly 8 years. In spring of 2009 I needed emergency dental treatment. Even with my supposedly good health benefits, the costs were outrageous and unaffordable. I ended up going to Mexico to get the procedure done. The cost here: $2500 if you have no insurance, $1300 with insurance. The cost for the same procedure in Mexico: $400.

To have healthcare when needed is something that too few Americans enjoy. Lots of people opposed to a national healthcare program quote an all too familiar statement "all you have to do is go to an emergency room", but this is one of the reasons for the costs of healthcare raising so much in the last 10 years. Someone has to pay for it, and it is those of us who have healthcare that pays these extra costs. I was lucky enough to have healthcare when I was diagnosed with cancer, otherwise if I would have had to "just go to an... (more)

Recently I had a sudden illness which put me in the hospital for 5 days. Although I have been treated and am out of immediate danger, this illness may make it impossible for me to continue in my profession as an airline pilot. Luckily, I have private health insurance right now. What am I going to do if I lose my job? I'm sure many Americans are asking themselves that question. The emergency room assistant said some people, who don't have insurance, ignore the symptoms I had. If I had done that, there's a good chance I would have died. ... (more)

My friend has been on Social Security Disability and Medicare for many years. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 15 and was disabled by the disorder by age 17. He cannot afford a supplemental policy and therefore is dependent on a State medigap policy. He has not been able to receive sufficient medical or mental care, as a result of his poor coverage. He struggles to find the specialists that he must have, as many will not accept his secondary coverage. It breaks my heart to see the degrading journey he has had to follow... (more)

It is very difficult to run a small business--less than 20 people and provide health care support. We need a fully portable system that is independent of a job so that a business can focus on being competitive. We are facing the possibility of 'downsizing' by 4-5 people because of the economic challenges and 3 of my staff on the down size list are young women who are pregnant. I am extraordinarily concerned about their medical insurance and the success of the business. We do not have a rational system.

My Father was paralyzed in an auto accident in 1980. He spent years in and out of hospitals, rehab centers, and eventually nursing homes after amputation of both legs up to the hips. The quality of care in the facilites was unbelievably shocking. I've never been so angy at our healthcare system. As he lay on his death bed, I asked if there was anything I could do for him. His response, "Sue the people who ruined my body". Had he experienced better care, and less red tape, many of the infections and frustrations probably... (more)

I have not been able to afford health care insurance for over 10 years. My old policy with Blue Cross Blue Shield forced me to pay higher premiums after I had an illness, I was forced to drop my insurance due to the high cost. I feel the insurance companies should not even be involved, they have been taking advantage of this situation far too long.

As an office administrator for a law firm I pay the health insurance bill each month and am shocked at the cost to the partners who generously pay our employees' premium. And each year the cost of our United Healthcare Plan increases about 14%. We can't switch companies because of pre-existing conditions-a different provider would charge us even higher premiums. Our income has decreased the past 2 years due to the economy. I am fearful that if business doesn't pick up, we will have to charge staff to pay for their own health care. Who wins... (more)

My monthly health care premium (paid to a private company whose fiduciary responsibility is to shareholders) continually rises at an alarming rate and will soon outstrip my retirement income. P.S. Over the decades I have been forced to change doctors etc. due to private insurance companies and their rules. Any government plan (single payer) couldn't be worse than the present failed private plans which de facto are already being subsidized by the federal goverment. Everyone needs to be covered !!!

Given the choice between spending money on healthcare insurance or spending that money on quality organic foods, vitamins, and supplements, I've consistently opted for the preventative nature of healthy food. Would be nice to be able to do both.

My sister Sarah has three chronic illnesses (Epilepsy, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis) which she has lived with since early adulthood. Each can be debilitating in its own way. She doesn't let her illnesses stop her but she does worry about the cost of the care and worries that if she were to become unemployed she would have no means to pay for healthcare. Sarah has worked her entire professional life on behalf of those less fortunate than most of us. She is a champion for those who have become disenfranchised by society due to chronic... (more)

Through the years I have had alcohol and drug problems, in these years I have been hospitalized and medicated beyond all beliefs. Without some of the health care organizations I would not have made it. In the midst of all of this, local governments and other organizations, and influencial persons have over medicated, and given medication that is not needed in order to have some control over me, even to the point where they had almost and even overdosed me on medications that have had adverse actions in the past. We need better regulations and... (more)

I was once a federal employee and the insurance I recieved was good and cost was resonable. I think if all americans are able to get health coverage the way federal employees do we can stop the high cost of health care and we will still be able to see the physicain of our choice. My son, Daniel, has a chronic problem with his shoulder. His shoulder dislocates sometimes several times a day. He needs surgury to correct this problem but can't afford health insurance. His medical bills are outragous and is driving him into bankrupsy. He is in pain... (more)