Health Care Stories - More people speak out
07/15/08 | Comment (0)
People are speaking out:
I work in call center, which I hate, a lot. I work there just so I can get health insurance. The job is very stressful and I've been unable to find other work (that includes health care) for the past 7 years. I am 55.
Pamela, Portage, MI
As a psychologist involved with the health insurance of my patients, I have experienced many unfair practices by this industry. They have disallowed mental health benefits to a young woman, newly arrived from out of state with no social, emotional support system who was diagnosed with cancer which she may have had prior to her new employee based insurance.
Sandra, Del Mar, CA
My daughter, Karen, worked as a temp, which is becoming more and more common for young people. She was told she had health insurance through the temp firm. She had some health problems that required two hospitals stays, each about a week. She then learned that her temp health insurance plan only provides coverage for days when she was at work. Only one of the 13 days [was covered]. She now owes . . . $30,000. She's declaring bankruptcy, which will affect her for the next seven years at least.
Nicholas, New Market, MD
I am a physician. I do my best to deliver quality health care to all who seek my help, regardless of what (if anything) they can pay. However, every day (and increasingly more year by year) I see patients who either can't afford the medicines and treatments . . . I see from the inside all the games we doctors have to play with insurance companies simply to get paid (sometimes) for the services we render, so that the CEO's of the large insurance companies can live like kings.
Daniel, Wichita, KS
After my divorce I was left with no medical coverage for the first time in my life. It's been 7 years since I have had any normal routine medical testing for anything.
Patricia, Kent, OH
We pay $369.00 a week to keep health insurance. We are getting to the point of choosing between keeping our house that we have been in since 1978 or having health insurance.Charlene, Nashua NH
My daughter was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 2 after sustaining a fracture in her leg. It's depressing that no matter how hard I work, I will never be able to provide her with the $30,000 per year medical treatment that she needs. I regret even more that I probably will spend her college savings on a knee replacement surgery.
Kasio, Las Vegas, NV
We had an HMO twice refuse to pay for an MRI for my daughter. She fell at home and was complaining of the worst pain of her life in her foot, which was swollen and bruised. Eventually I had the test done anyway and it showed two broken bones!
Miriam, La Mesa, CA
As a physician, I am confronted every day with children and families that have to choose between high quality health care and what is affordable. Furthermore, on many occasions, I have spent a significant amount of time developing a trusting relationship with a patient and his/her family only to find that their insurance has changed and they must move to another doctor.
Michael, Corvalis, OR
