As a middle school counselor, I see too many families each day that are suffering due to the lack of health care. This effects how stable home lives are, and directly effects the ability for kids to achieve their potential in learning, which will effect their family for generations.

My sister and I both are anemic. She lives in Cincinnati and I live in Detroit. Her Dr. prescribed Iron tablets and checks her iron blood count on a regular basis. My Dr. has taken me through 2 very expensive procedures that I fell are unnecessary. Not once, has he even asked about my personal habits (am I vegetarian or am I perimenopausal - which causes you to lose more blood), he immediately refers me to expensive care, which lines his pockets with money. I, too, must pay my deduction for such treatment, so out of pocket for me is more... (more)

My mom is the most caring, giving person I know. Often taking in strangers in need when they had no where else to turn, even though she was a single mother and our family was struggling financially. Now, as she turns 60 her health is declining. WIthout any insurance and not enough money to afford a simple doctors apointment (a mere visit often costs over $100) I fear there is something wrong with her that we will not be able to catch early enough...until it is too late. It is dis-heartening and scary that we live in the most advanced coutnry... (more)

The insurance companies would not even accept me on their plans, and some of the biggest ones, and heart desease came upon me,and I suffered a heart attack, and I had no preventative care from my primary physician, so I had to go to the county hospital to get care. Im on medicare now, and still wonder if I had had a doctor, or primary care physician, I might have prevented the heart attack I had, and prevented damage to my heart if I had just had health insurance when the signs were coming upon me.

I AM ALIVE AND SOLVENT. BILL

"In an instant, family's life is changed" This story about a local family in Royal Oak, MI (where I live), is a chilling wake-up call that is unfortunately all too familiar in Michigan - and so many other places in the U.S. - today. (Click on http://www.freep.com/article/20090520/COL03/905200318.) The article notes that "President Barack Obama says the nation has to tackle health care reform while trying to solve the economic ills. Missy and Casey and Austin could use some progress on both fronts -- if it's not already too late... (more)

My parents are divorced, my dad recently lost his job and my mom had her hours cut down to 8 which means that neither of them have health care nor can they provide it for me. I've looked into my universities health care but it is expensive, and only offers coverage there, and not at home. I've had back surgery twice and if I have any problems with it now, I'm out of luck. I've seen my parents try to get health care without insurance and it just doesn't work. I've spent the last 9 months in England and have seen how effect and helpful the... (more)

My story about heath care and the problems with the current system start back in 2003. In 2003 two things happened that helped to shape my future. I graduated from Michigan State with a BS in Sociology, and I was dropped from my Father's health insurance. For the first time I was uninsured and very fearful about getting sick or injured. Then about six months later I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which is categorized as a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) Treatment for bipolar disorder is limited, there are only two treatments,... (more)

MY TEETH ARE A MESS AND I HELP OUT AT THE SALVATIO ARMY ..HUNDERS OF PEOPLE GO TO THE HOSPITAL TO HAVE A TOOTH PULLED THIS IS COSTING THE TAX PAYERS A LOT OF MONEY..

I pay for my own health insurance and have had to continually reduce my benefits in order to have any coverage at all. When my daughter had a ruptured appendix a few years ago we bit our nails hoping that the insurance would cover the bills. We should not have had to worry about how we would pay the medical bills. Our daughter deserved our full attention and the best of care. In fact, we had just switched to a new "cheaper insurance" at that time and I firmly believe she ended up with the ruptured appendix because the doctor's hands... (more)

Although I have been unemployed for over a year, I have continued to pay $200 a month for health insurance because I know how important it is to be covered. On top of this monthly charge, I am bombarded with co-pays and deductibles. I often have to call my insurance company and the doctors to sort out bills that are incorrect. When I visited my younger sister in Japan recently, I learned that she only pays $40 a month and has minimal co-pays. The rumors regarding poor health care in socialized countries simply aren't true; my sister is able to... (more)

I am one of the very fortunate ones who still has a good paying job in this economy with great health insurance. However, there are many others who are not so lucky. I have a dear friend who lost his job some years back when his family's business closed. He works when he can now, but has extreme difficulty getting around because he needs both of his knees replaced. He is in his 50s and is in so much pain, but can do nothing about it. Because there is no health insurance coverage available to him he cannot afford this necessary surgery. I... (more)

I am self employed, and I have health insurance. My insurance cost me $1220 quarterly, and that is without prescription coverage. I am thankful that I have it, but it takes a pretty good chunk of my earnings to be able to keep it. I kept putting off getting insurance because it was so expensive, until I had a cancer scare. I got BCBS, and luckily the cancer scare was just that, a scare. But it forced me to keep my insurance, and thank god, because the following year I needed major spine surgery, which would have cost me over $125,000! Blue... (more)

My brother and his wife have no health care. They work full time, and they have a baby on the way. My sister in law Carie is prone to getting sick, and she has had to skip going to the hospital a few times, even on some pretty serious cases. They are losing their house, they have no heath care, and they have a baby on the way. Please make health care more affordable.

My mother had a kidney transplant last year & now pays over $1000 a month for her prescriptions, money that she should be saving and/or using to enjoy her retirement. She's 69 & had worked since she was 15. She is miserable.

As I'm sure is the case with many Americans, the cost of my health insurance continues to increase as the benefits decrease. I continue to put off essential preventative health care procedures, like a colonoscopy, because my policy does not cover the cost. Our health care focus should be on prevention not end of life care! Every health insurance policy should cover, in totality, at least two doctors office visits a year and cover, in totality, recognized important preventative procedures such as mammograms and colonoscopies.

We are lucky because we have health care from my husbands employer. However, we have to pay a portion of it, as well as deductibles, copays, etc. Last year we paid almost $16,000 in medical expanses and that is WITH health insurance. This country needs a better alternative.

I recently changed jobs to further my career and my benefits don't start for 3 months. I'm stuck paying outrageous COBRA fees to stay insured so I don't have pre-existing conditions. Luckily, I can afford this. I wonder how many workers can't afford to advance their careers because of health care? If were really want to foster the entrepreneurial, 21-st century economy that we'll need to compete in the market we need to make real change now.

My wife has Epilepsy. A year ago she developed an anxiety disorder that caused her to occasionally have panic attacks. The panic attacks would then cause her to have a seizure because they lowered her seizure threshold. We have health insurance through my work. Nevertheless, the process of getting her the appropriate care and medicine took several months and eventually cost us close to $10,000 in lost wages and bills.

Health care costs are so high. I have type 1 diabetes and, fortunately, I have health insurance. However, without healthcare coverage, I would not be able to cover the cost of my healthcare for any length of time. It is unbelievably expensive and I am glad that I, unlike many other Americans, have the health care coverage to care for myself. I don't think that I should be healthier than someone else just because I have more money/insurance.