These stories come from the real people who live with a broken health care system. Some have health insurance and some do not. Many of these stories suggest potential solutions* that lead to quality, affordable health care we can count on. One thing we all agree on is that the we cannot trust the insurance industry to fix themselves. To learn more about what Health Care for America Now stands for read our Statement of Common Purpose.
We wanted to give you a chance to speak for yourself, in your own voice, about the need for Health Care for America Now. Do you have something to say? Tell us your story.
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Sonya
Pittsburgh, PA
I have plenty of health care stories that are less than good. My brother, when he was in his 20s, was left untreated for some kind of a mouth infection for months because he had no insurance. It was minor initially, and over the months it became worse and worse. He was uncomfortable and visibly swollen, he could not eat solid food or talk; still, no doctor in our neighborhood would make an appointment to see him. Eventually the infection took him to the ER, and he is now slowly paying off the fee they charged him there. Another friend, when she was in graduate school, was diagnosed with pericarditis. She had to have surgery and found that she was under-insured by UCLA. UCLA paid up to 100K, but the total of her bills was at least 50K beyond that. She declared bankruptcy as a result. Both my brother and my friend are well educated and hard working people and they always have been; they were just under-insured or poorly insured by their employers or school. Both my brother and my friend have suffered a lot of emotional distress as a result of all the financial misery their illnesses caused. My friend's heart sickness persists and it is aggravated by stress. Stress associated with getting health care is really the last thing that she needs.
*Health Care for America Now is not responsible for the content of these stories. These stories are submitted by individuals in the online audience and have been edited in some cases. Health Care For America Now does not endorse any of the solutions or policy positions suggested in the content of these stories. Health Care for America Now is a coalition of organizations that agree to the Statement of Common Purpose.
See our coalition partner list.
Read the Statement of Common Purpose.
