My older brother has Aplastic Anemia. He is blessed to have been accepted into an NIH protocol because he, unfortunately, is sick enough to qualify. He has lived a year and a half with this disease and hopes to receive a bone marrow transplant soon, which may cure him. Without health care coverage, he would simply be dead. We all need coverage.

Dear President Obama: You and your family are an inspiration to America. The loving manner in which you speak of your mother is heartwarming. You were both fortunate to have each other. I seriously doubt I would be alive without my health care benefits. Because of my benefits, medication and treatment improved my pulmonary condition to the point that I no longer need medication. Without my benefits, I would have been seriously ill and most likely died. As a result, I have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of... (more)

Without my health insurance I would not be alive today. As a physician I feel there should be universal coverage and that a single payer plan should be considered along with anything else that covers President Obama's requirements. Don't discount a single payer as the most economical way to accomphish your goals. Piecemealing will not solve the problem and reduce costs.

Although I have health care and the people in my firm have health care- three of my grown children do not - they are each trying to establish themselves and simply can not afford to pay for health care. I worry more about this than anything else for them. I am more than willing to pay much higher taxes and know that mine and all the children in the U.S. will be cared for - in the same way almost every citizen in Europe knows they will not be abandoned when sick by the society.

When I reached age 65, I got a letter from my Health Insurance Provider telling me they were dropping all coverage for people over 65 living in the District of Columbia, and that before the end of the year I should seek another provider. I found another insurance company, but one year letter I received an identical letter from that provider, and found myself with nowhere else to turn. No company would write health insurance to cover me. Fortunately, I was able to qualify for health care at the Veteran's Medical Center here in DC and have been... (more)

I'm self-employed; my insurance is through my husband's employer -- or was until he was laid off. We have COBRA and when it runs out, if he's not employed, I am uninsurable. You see, I have cancer and that makes it impossible for me to get coverage or coverage we could afford. If he doesn't get a job and we don't have health care, we'll probl. be homeless (not an exaggeration) and w/o care. Maybe I should wish for the cancer to kill me sooner -- it might be a better option. I am terrified.

There is a myth that retired military persons have "free" health care for life. I am a retired Army officer with a decent income, but not one to give me "tax cuts for the rich." I am over 65 and had to join medicare to get continuing care from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Washington DC flagship. To my horror, I discovered that almost $3,000/year is now taken out of my social security payments for medicare. With other expenses elsewhere, my "free" Army medical care is now costing me almost $4,000/year. ... (more)

Hi Obama, Well I am a Registered Nurse in Australia.I have been since 1994.I studied at the University of Sydney. Mostly I have been working in the Aged Care System - and I have also done Mental Health and other stuff - A little bit of Accident and Emergency / Respiratory. I find the heart really interesting - and read stuff on it when I can. Working as Nurse over my years has been very rewarding , the main issues that have been faced by nursing are poor pay and not enough nursing. This is getting better. I was one of the first to go... (more)

What drives my commitment: My dear "super senior girlfriend," over a period of 14 years, died from a heart attack at 99 years of age. She was informed, engaging, independent, strong, and vibrant with a loud, wonderful laugh. She lived with her sister, who was four years younger. Her trust in me afforded many opportunities to support her in several different ways including accessing critical support from our local-elected officials to meet emergency repair bills on her home, when necessary. She also was very open to accepting ... (more)

A close family member of mine was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's in middle-age, and now worries daily about the inability to receive long-term care. There's a constant fear about retirement funds needing to be drained (what little is left after the economic crisis, that is), and the need to pick up one or two more jobs. Now I worry, too, that I'll have to do the same, or leave my current job in order to find one that pays better, but the economy is so bad I've found it to be overwhelmingly difficult.

Admitted to hospital, dad fortunately had his children care for him. Other patients weren't as lucky. For a fortnight, I witnessed firsthand how many patients suffered through treatments limited by high cost. Life was reduced to money. Yes, money kills more than builds. That's why we the Americans now demand The Venus Project from you. Only with a moneyless resource-based community can we live the American dream. You hear us - Abolish Money! Actualize The Venus Project!

My 79 year old grandmother was being asked to pay $350 a month for a Carefirst plan to offset her medicare benefits. She only gets $1019 a month in Social Security benefits. Her medicine was costing at times over $300 a month. How is she supposed to live on an income like that and pay for the necessary things in life. THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!!

It is not so much the high cost of high-tech health care it is the fact that one does not know what is truly covered.Some programs,e.g. flex-fund require you to estimate health expenses for the following year--this is very difficult and if you have a big expense--medical or dental that is not covered by health insurance,you can easily have financial difficulties.

In the last several years, all of my preferred medical care providers have opted out of my company's insurance plan. My husband is a life-long asthma patient and has attended to his health conditions well. He has a long-term relationship with his physicians who completely understand his health history and are able to competently treat any illnesses without forcing us to use the emergency room. We continue to use these physicians, but must pay for them out of network. Many Americans worry about regulated health care, but we already have... (more)

AS a mother of an autistic son I have experienced the lack of proper care from an insurance company that does not cover this disorder.Early intervention must be started immediately and paying out of pocket can devastate an entire family.Autism Spectrum Disorder is now an emergency situation that must be addressed through health care reform.As a parent you struggle to find a diagnosis and must pay a team of health professionals.It does not end .At this point a team of specials are needed providing special care 24hr for life.As the bills pile... (more)

We were so afraid of delegating authority to the federal government that we gave carte blanche to insurance companies--agencies whose purpose by definition is to make money for their owners. As a result, I (an upstanding member of the struggling lower middle class) end up paying enormous sums to both insurance companies and doctors. Why q Insurance doesnt cover much...and the best docx--or at least best known--in major metro areas dont take it anyway. Sooo Im on my own. A mess of money and paperwork getting me little at enormous cost in a... (more)

I have been without insurance since fall of October 2005. I have been denied for disability. I have been sick since February 2002. Which I had to go on medicaid after loosing my private insurance. I lost my voice due to severe GERD. which I had to give up my position of customer service. I have been diagnois with sleep aprena, depression, hypertension, severe fatigue, back pain due to a shrinking spinal cord. Medicaid denied for coverage after my daughter turn 18 years of age and which is now in her sophomore year in college.

I have countless stories to recount. I am a critical care nurse in a surgical department. St Paul's Hospital is a Center of Excellence in many fields -COE's are an international designation of optimal provision. Our stories of the healthcare crisis in the United States relate to the patients who come to our care units to receive care not available in the United States. Sadly, when the United States provision fails, the casualties we treat are sicker than they need to be. I really hope you can redirect in the future those resources you... (more)

My son is Andrew Shawn Malcolm and he lives in Wisconsin, Tennessee. He suffers from a form of epilepsy and needs treatment, and on a regular basis adult attention or to be around some one at all times. his mother and I cannot manage all the health bills. If there is a better health care system then maybe we could afterall. I wrote this song recently about the health care Health Care Is A Thing We All Should Have.©2009 Francis Malcolm Health care Mavis you know about this Marise wha you think bout it This is health care and it... (more)

i am an american living in italy. health care is free to all living in the country, and emergency room services are free to all who enter, resident or not. the taxes are high in italy, but EVERYONE has access to all health care need