My grandson was born with a partial heart. His father was just let go from General Motors. No Insurance company will insure my gransson. One trip to the hospital will bankrupt our entire families. Healthcare reform will do no good if insurance companies continue to be the decision makers. We MUST have single payer.

After 12 years of extremely high medical expenses we hit the wall and had to file for bankruptcy. Medical costs were taking 1/3 of our living wage. We live on a teacher's pension and I am disabled and can no longer work. We did everything right and are now wiped out for the rest of our lives. Don is now on Medicare but I am 62, and pay $800 a month for my policy. We each have to reach $1500 per year before our insurance co pays give us a break. It has been a long ahrd road with no end in sight.

Suffered heart attack at age 49 - through an audit of enrolees in our health care provider I was inadvertently left off of the list and told I did not have health coverage during this event...It then escalated to the point where I lost my home, my car, the rest of my health and above all my dignity to this health care crisis. I could not afford health care and my health declined even further. Thank God for the small amount of care that I received from a local non-profit clinic - when I arrived at their doorstep, my health was failing fast. ... (more)

My son and daughter are both young adults, who are hard workers. My daughter is a single mom, works full time, and is in college. My son works full time, and is returning to college. Neither of my children has health care coverage. One trip to the emergency room will simply end their dreams of obtaining a college degree and require a bankruptcy filing. In a country where we have so much, and help so many others, we need to assure every American has adequate health care, at an affordable cost. In addition, the process for applying for... (more)

In December of 2008, my husband was laid off from his job. I was 9 months pregnant with our first child...due to arrive the first week of January. Because of the lay-off, our family lost our health care coverage at the end of December. We were able to continue get COBRA at a cost of $1200/month. So not only do we have to pay our normal monthly bills with no income, but an additional payment that was almost double our monthly mortgage payment. Needless to say what was supposed to be the happiest and most exciting time in our life was... (more)

I was without insurance for years-raising 2 children--working full time--American mothers deserve more. I worked 2 jobs (these were management jobs that offered health care at a very high cost. No one minds paying for health care--but it needs to be affordable. My son is now a fireman/paramedic and routinely runs calls for medicaid clients--why do they have more care than a working mother and her children? I knew I could neglect my responsiblities and let the government pick up the tab--but I did not--many are just like me--working hard and

As a wife, mother, nurse and manager of a Planned Parenthood office for almost 23 years, allowing women to choose if and when they have children can be the difference of finishing one's education and starting a self-supporting career or a life of poverty and welfare.

Our family of four purchases our own healthcare with a large deductible. We have 2 small businesses, two teenage children, 2 dogs, 2 cats and a dozen chickens! We are serious, hobbyist organic gardeners. 1-1/2 yrs ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Since then our premium has risen to an "unregulated" and difficult to manage amount. I didn't work during treatment and because of the economic slow down, I'm only currently working part time. Our other business, harvesting and manufacturing reclaimed antique, barn wood flooring and... (more)

My daughter has just graduated from college and needs to find her own health care. Since she has polycystic ovarian syndrome, costs are beyond the reach of someone who has not yet found a job.

I have had a neurological disorder for 14 years now....I am still fortunate that I am covered under my husband's work policy...But my major concern and that of millions is that people with pre-existing conditions can not in any way get private health insurance... I will not support any changes in health care policy until this subject is addressed... There are over 500 pre-existing conditions that insurance reviews...Either you must pay such high premiums if you can get insurance or you can not get insurance at all.... This is a crisis in our... (more)

I am a 53 year old biologist, I have worked for the US government for the past 7 years. My husband of 27 years has Parkinson's disease and requires continual treatment. Our son of 16 suffers from depression, takes medication and sees a psychiatrist. Our oldest son has autism, although he is no longer a dependent. We have two other boys who need regular dental and medical care as any other healthy young people do. Despite the "Cadillac" health care plans offered by the U.S. government, I figure I pay about 20% of my salary for... (more)

I am a 55 year old female with diabetes and heart disease. My doctors can only see me for a few minutes each visit because they are on a tight schedule in order to keep the practice going. I have had 2 doctors in the last 2 years leave private practice because they couldn't even make a living. While my doctors give me the very best care they can, they also cometimes seem frustrated by not being able to spend the time with each patient they would like to. There has to be a way to control drug costs as well. While I understand it takes a lot... (more)

My husband has had three heart attacks, is diabetic, and has kidney problems. The amount we pay in health insurance has doubled from last year. We are incurring more and more out of pocket expenses for everything, and my husband is a federal employee. With the costs of everything else increasing it becomes more difficult to make ends meet. I had also heard that health benefits may be taxed. This would make it impossible for us to even go to the doctor. The added cost burden would be to much. I would hope that the president would do everything... (more)

I just graduated college, and I'm terrified because I'm about to lose my healthcare, since I will no longer be listed as a dependent in my mother's plan and my mother hasn't enough money for me to be kept on her insurance, and I still haven't found a job, so until then, I have to pray that I will be okay, because there will be no way for me to get medical care if something were to happen to me now. And I'm not the only student in my graduating class that is in this same predicament. Students graduating college shouldn't have to be afraid of... (more)

I feel that my family needs health care and insurance for their health. Health insurance has been costly high for some families that can't afford. We need better Health Care Reform for all Americans families and individuals. Let's get this Health Care Reform ready for the next generation to come 2009! Thank you, Deborah Schaaf

I am a work from home mom who has started my own photography business. My husband is a truck driver and we have 3 children together ages 4, 8, 11. My husband grossed $38,400 last year and my business did not profit. My husband also pays $600 a month in child support for two children from a previous relationship so our amount befor taxes are taken out is only a little over $32,000. My husbands employer offered health insurance, but it was at cost of $600 a month for family!!! There was No way we could support a family of five off of only... (more)

I own a small business and the costs for health care for my family alone is over 1/3 of my monthly budget! I cannot afford to offer any health care coverage for my employees, several of whom have no coverage at all. This is a sad state of affairs in the world's wealthiest nation!

I am being swallowed by insurance companies. My doctor gave me a prescription for Neium,which worked well for me, but the Easy Scripts didn'tallow for the prescription and I was told via letter that it would no longer be available. I could get the over the counter Prolsic. Nexium worked for me. Did I know if Prolsac worked for me? Why am I being told by an insurance company, what to take? They diodn't go to medical school. Help!!

A few years ago, I had an unpresidented health disaster. I lost my job at the same time as suffering a serious tooth ache that deformed my face. Imagine trying to interview for jobs with a face like I had. Fortunately, since I still work for that employer part time, they agreed to carry me over for a month while I got treatment. I took a job I hated to make up some of the costs. And, what a shocker! My dental coverage was only partial. I paid over $3200 that year in dental costs, none of which were deductible on my taxes. If there had been a... (more)

I'm a 52 yr. old woman, never married and I've adopted 3 children. Two of my children are grown but I still have a 15 yr. old at home that is my life. Roughly 5 yrs. ago I was in the hospital for surgery and had a heart attack. At the time I had a job and health insurance. Five months ago I lost my job due to the declining economy and lost my health insurance. Cobra is way too expensive and the individual policies I've looked at are also. As a single Mom I have never applied for public assistance and would like to say that I won't now,... (more)