I am scared that I will be denied a cure for alzheimer's or that it may be considered a pre-existing condition... I don't want to lose my memories in my golden years like my grandfather did.

Super healthy and just married at age 35. A work injury left me with 2 neck surgeries, swallowing problems, constant headaches, but getting through that these ladt 3 years isn't the worst. I can't get health insurance if I leave my claim open. I can't get a rider for the injury/pre-existing. If I close my claim what if I need surgery 10+ yrs from now ? PLEASE help Workers Comp People !!!!

I am 64 years old and would like to retire in 2 years but will not be able to due to the exhorbitant costs for prescriptions and supplemental health insurance. In a country this prosperous we should be able to afford health just as Canada does. Today I have been on the computer trying to figure out why my insurance company and health care provider cannot get it straight and pay the charges that are due and charge the correct amounts that are warranted. This is so unnerving to have to waste my free time trying to straighten all this out! ... (more)

As a Senior citizen who was hit head on by one of Ohio's infamous drunk drivers on 12/20/2000, I spent two and a half months in the hospital with follow up surgeries through the year 2001. This has left me with numerous problems which I still have. I recently had a knee replacement and while in rehab fell and had to go back into the hospital for a spiral fracture of the femur. Without Medicare or some other type of government assistance, I would be out in left field. Everyone should have a government plan for health care, after all our... (more)

My cousin, who was laid off last year, fell over the winter and we're sure she broke her ankle, or at least, chipped a bone. However, because she has no health insurance, she didn't get it checked and it hasn't healed right. It swells constantly, clicks when she moves it and looks awful. Her story is one of tens of thousands. No one should not go to the hospital when they have an illness or injury because of lack of insurance. It's a shame and an embarrassment to this country.

I have two lovely grandchildren 5 and 3 years old. My daughter and her husband were laid off work in December 2008. They lost their house and moved in with us. We can't afford insurance for them. None are covered. I didn't even have the option to cover my grandchildren on my on work group policy as head of household. Something's got to be done to fix the healthcare mess.

My husband and I are both self-employed, therefore, we pay an individual policy. It always starts out realitively affordable but after a year, the rates go up. It's been that way since about 1999. Our biggest complaint is that even though we are health concience and realitivley healty our premiums are almost dangerously unafordable. We are blessed to have a healty seven year old daughter. Unfortunately she will not have a sibling because we couldn't afford the matunity coverage. It would have doubled what we are paying now. When I was 39 I had... (more)

Where to begin? In the 1970's my grandfather had to sell his farm and lost every single penny he had paying for my grandmother's care in a nursing home after a stroke. He ended up living with my mom. 90 years of work and prosperity by him, his wife and his children were totally lost to nursing home owners' and doctors' high life styles and fancy cars. NO BANKRUPTING THOSE WITH CATOSTROPIC HEALTH ISSUES. My nephew, a self-employed plumber, lost all his savings and an inheritance after being injured in a motor vehicle accident. He of... (more)

My personal perspective: i am currently dealing with several health issues and depression. it is too expensive to get treatment and insurance doesn't like to cover mental illness. the more sick you feel, the more depressed you get..vicious cycle. i also don't like going for tests. right now i have significant anemia..the doctors are on me every week about lab work, and tests to figure out the cause...it is too expensive. they don't get that i can't keep going to the doctor each week and to specialists on top of that with he cost of deductibles... (more)

My son, in his early 30s, is a lawayer. However, due to a one time heart rythm event a few years ago, he is unable to find affordable medical insurance. He is now uninsured and we hope daily that nothing serious happens to him.

I am a teacher and the current health care plan in my district is high deductable. I feel that it is a money making scam for the insurancecompany and that I cannot afford to get sick. My wife had a horrible car accident a couple of years ago and we were left with a large bill while she could not work. Granted, the bill could have been a lot bigger had we not een insured, but what about my students whose parents cannot afford health care? What if they or their parents get sick?

My wife and I are both former Management Consultants. In 2000, we returned to Ohio to start a family. We were both involuntary participants of a series of layoffs at our respective firms. Our first son was due in June and as the date approached, I continued to pay into COBRA. After the delivery, all claims with regard to my wife's birth-related hospitalization were rejected. After retaining a lawyer and personally investigating this further, I learned that the COBRA payments had been "absorbed" by the former executives at my... (more)

My professional partnership broke up June 2008. I had health ins with Anthem for many years and paid their high premiums and never had any large claims. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2007. It is a moderate case and my prescription is only $20/month which Anthem did not cover anyway. Now they have refused to cover me and none of the other insurance companies will either including AARP. I am 57 years old and have searched for insurance for the past year without any luck. What do I do if there is an accident or I suffer from a life... (more)

Having been a small business owner/operator and later Chief of the Medicaid Eligibility Section at the Ohio Department of Job and Family services, I have direct experience with the cost of soaring health costs and seriously ill/disabled people being denied adequate health care due to lack of providers, exclusionary practices of insurance carriers, and/or affordable coverage. The the human and financial costs are too great to ignore any longer. It is essential to pass some sort of health care reform for ALL Americans as soon as possible.

My Family. That's enough of a reason to reform a broken health care delivery system.

I am a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in a teaching facility. We see a wide range of patients from those who are self pay or have medicaid to those who have excellent health insurance coverage. My niece was just recently diagnosed with MS. She had a full time job until she had significant symptoms (at the time she was diagnosed) that did not allow her to work. She also, did not have health insurance. She is currently symptom-free and trying to work a full time job to obtain health insurance benefits. In the mean time she has tried to obtain... (more)

my mother had to have her pace maker replaced and she lives in low income housing. The cost was covered by medicare but she cannot afford a suppliment. The astronomical cost of the pace maker $17,000 was covered up to 80% by medicare but she has to pay the other $3400 which is very difficult for her. Why are these pacemakers so expensive? Is it the same cost in other countries? Are the manufactures ripping off the public and medicare on this device? We pay the most per capita in the world for our health care. Is part of the reason is... (more)

I lived in Canada for 15 years and had two babies. I can't even imagine going through that under the U.S. system! I did grumble about paying the high taxes under the Canadian system but now having lived in the U.S. for the last 17 years, I regret the grumbling. What I paid in taxes to the Canadian government, I am now paying more to my employer-sponsored healthcare!

I have been without health care insurance periodically for several years. I have been a jogger and have exercised regularly since 1972 and should never have had problems getting affordable health insurance. My wife now has me covered under her policy for over $900 per month. This situation is inexcusable in a nation as advanced and wealthy as America. America is one of the lowest ranked health care countries in the nation. Many things are drastically wrong with this situation and it needs to fixed NOW! Michael K. Upper (614) 975- 5290

I live in Columbus, Ohio. I have taken my mom to 6 healthcare establishments in the past 6 weeks for mental illness. She is on Medicare and has AARP as a supplemental policy. I have had problems with 4 of the 6 places that are recognized as Healthcare Facilities due to improper medication issues. Today, she was taken to a hospital via ambulance for Dystonia. This is the name used when someone is experiencing an acute reaction for being overdosed with a psychotic drug. This horrible experience was the result of poor or no communication... (more)