It is SO unfair! For me, just one 79 year-old female, as a federal employee surviving spouse, I am guaranteed coverage FOR LIFE! No illness, disease, condition (mental or otherwise) can cause me to lose this wonderful coverage! And yes, this is what George Bush and Dick Cheney and every former congressperson is entitled to forever! That is why those who own no empathy cannot relate to other citizens! They figure they got themselves elected and passed laws covering themselves, and by golly, the rest of the people can figure out how to arrange their own situations! I pay a total of $231.06 per month. $96.40 is Medicare, and $134.66 is Blue Cross. I never get a bill from a doctor or hospital or procedure place (lab for blood tests or scans, etc.) and I pay a co-pay for prescriptions that is as low as $2.50 for 90 days worth of pills up to a guaranteed-not-to-go-higher-than $35.00 for 90 days worth of pills. How lucky can you get? Yes, I know I have been blessed, but cannot wrap my mind around the fact that the beaucoup millions desperate for coverage are not rushing to the polls to vote DEMOCRATIC! If the people who WORK FOR the People can have this, why cannot the public they serve?

I lost my job a year ago. I was lucky to find a contract job right away where I can get health insurance through the agency. When I did work at a regular job for many years, I did notice how the employee had to pay more and more of their own insurance. I also and concerned about the government getting involved with our health care - they will screw it up - I agree with Frannie and Kelly. The insurance company are partially to blame for this situation as they are a busy, making money is the name of the game. But really instead of universal health care should the government not be looking at the health care industry? I believe they are worse than the oil companies.

I am retirement eligible but I must continue working to ensure health coverage for my daughter, who is just 15. I work for a Fortune 100 company but my retirement plan does not include health coverage — just a bucket of money that I paid into that I will be able to use to purchase health coverage at the same group rate. But when the money runs out, it runs out. It’s only supposed to “fill the gap” to Medicare coverage. My daughter has an autoimmune disease. I’ve checked. I can’t get private coverage for her at any cost. No one will insure her. So I have to work at least until she is through college (and hope she gets a job with benefits immediately). Our system definitely needs to change.

I live in Canada so it costs very little, DeB you should move to Canada so you won’t be so far ;-)

I’ve always had to buy my own, and have been relatively lucky with the premiums. But this year I’m paying as much for health care insurance every month as I do in rent. Don’t know how much longer I can continue to pay at this level.

I am self employed as a Marriage Family Therapist, pay a ridicolous amount and limit my practice to only 40% insurance. It is unfortunate, but the excessive paperwork, denial of coverage, benefits and pay is time consuming and low pay. When attempting to assist clients in finding out how the particulars of their plan, we usually end up in India, Phillipines, Jamaica and no one can help them. The majority of my practice is required to pay me and I give them a completed receipt to file with the insurance company to attempt to get reimbursed. It is so very difficult and unfortunate when you pay all this $ and are exhausted trying axcess your benefits.

Military families have health care (Tricare) that is probably like what ” universal health care” would be. I would think everyone could sign up for health care and make the choice to use it or not use it. My husband is retired from the military and now has a job as a civilian, which provides health insurance. Our private insurance pays first and Tricare only pays a portion of what our private insurance doesn’t pay. If we didn’t have other insurance, Tricare would be the primary insurance. Tricare isn’t free but costs less than most private health insurance. You go to a military or military approved facility, if you can not be treated there you must have a referral to an approved physician. It is not ideal but it is better than no coverage at all.