Sarah works for a health care center in Cedar Falls that offers specialized services for persons with mental challenges, physical challenges, or traumatic injuries. They offer her health insurance but for the first year they would not cover any pre-existing conditions. This means she will have to pay out of pocket to treat her Crohn’s until that year is up. Also, her doctor at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is not covered under her employer’s group plan. So, she will likely have to find a new doctor.

She was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when she was 15 years old. This diagnosis did not come without its own struggle. Doctors were sure that her appendix had burst and immediately removed it. After the appendix was removed Sarah was left with a fistula on the inside of her abdomen, this made her sick, constantly. Immediately following high school Sarah was too sick to start college. For this reason she was dropped from her parents’ health insurance. It was then she applied for Title XIX Medicaid but was denied. “They didn’t want to help, so I had to let the medical bills pile up.” Four years later she found herself $180,000 in debt and was forced to file for bankruptcy. (In Feb. of ’04)

Watch Linda's story on YouTube >>

My struggles with our nation’s broken health care system have been ongoing for 25 years.

When I became pregnant in 1982 with a high risk pregnancy, I was working as a Registered Nurse for a temporary medical pool and had no health insurance. Doctors advised me that there were possible fetal development problems and that I would need monthly visits to specialists, costing well over $3000.

With the bills piling up, I started a new position as a Primary Nurse at a hospital, where I would become eligible for health insurance that would cover most of my health care costs, including prenatal, birthing and post-partum care costs.

When my son was born, thankfully he was healthy despite a delayed spinal closure and didn’t need any specialty follow-up care. Because of limited finances and available earned time I had to return to work after 6 weeks. My son went to day care and I paid through my work for his health insurance. With living expenses, child care, and medical bills, things were tight.

Monique Wilburn

As a diabetic, I have to rely on insulin to stay healthy and it was impossible for me to afford the out of pocket costs for a month’s supply, especially since I am unemployed. Without the medication I can’t live, much less be actively employed.

I couldn’t even enroll in Rhode Island’s comprehensive state Medicaid program, RIte Care, because I don’t have any children and therefore didn’t meet the eligibility requirements. I was left with no options.

Robert and Linda Williams

Last year, my wife went to her physician for a typical office visit which we soon found out was not covered by our plan. We received a bill for $175 and submitted it to our insurance company who told us that they do not cover the costs of office visits. In the explanation of benefits our patient liability was $154, with a PPO discount of $21. We sent our check to the doctor for $154.

MaryAnne BrooksI turn 67 this March. Two years ago I went to my doctor’s office and was told that I needed a lung transplant. I suffer from Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease (COPD), and emphysema.

In 1999, after countless doctor’s visits, I was diagnosed with COPD and the doctors told me that the worse case scenario would be a lung transplant. They knew that I quit smoking in December of 1997 so there wasn’t much more that I could do to improve my health on my own. As time went on my health progressively got worse. I went from using oxygen when I needed it to help me breathe better, to needing it all the time – I am now permanently attached to my oxygen cord. The change happened almost overnight.

That day in the doctor’s office, after he gave me the bad news - the worst possible case scenario, he reviewed my chart and asked me how old I was. I had just turned 65. He told me that 65 is the insurance cut off age for a lung transplant. I began to cry, I couldn’t have imagined that it would be this bad. There was nothing more the doctor could do for me. If I were rich I could go to another country and have the operation, but that is not an option for me.

Raylean Donahue

My second child, Michael, was born on May 5, 1989. It was then that I truly realized the importance of health care and the trouble that comes with not having it. Michael suffered from severe asthma attacks, and as a result, we spent many nights rushing to the ERs only to be rushed out with little care after they found out we had no insurance.

When Michael turned nine, he had suffered his worst attack yet. As we sat in the ER, a doctor came in and gave him a shot, not thinking much of it (he was a doctor of course), I just sat by my son and held his hand. Right as the doctor left, a nurse came in with another shot for my son. This time, she explained that this was liquid adrenaline, and it would open his lungs up. She said it would be a few minutes, but Michael would feel much better, and we could then soon leave the hospital. Relief poured over me, and I felt like I could relax. We waited about five minutes, and all of a sudden, Michael started getting hives, and was not able to breath.]]>Patti Teeuwen - Arapahoe County, Coloradohttp://www.americansforhealthcare.org/health-care-story-of-the-week/2006/10/25/patti-teeuwen-arapahoe-county-colorado.htmlAnn Rhodes2006-10-25T16:08:51ZColorado
Patti TeeuwenTwo years ago I was working as a waitress as I had done for most of my adult life. I was 22 and one of the furthest things from my mind was my lack of heath insurance. Unfortunately, it was not far from my mind for long.

On the 9^th of January I went to bed, the next morning I woke up unable to move my legs. I arrived at the hospital and had to make the scariest statement of my life, “I can’t feel my legs.” I was only 22 and I had no health insurance, an impending debt, and was out of a job.

That morning I was hospitalized and was placed in the Intensive Care Unit. I went through test after test. Cat scans and MRI’s constantly. Instead of being able to concentrate on what was wrong with me I was worried about how much all the tests were going to cost me. I was supposed to be moved to rehab when I developed a blood clot in my hand. My stay was extended for two more weeks. In my mind that was just thousands of more dollars of debt. I was diagnosed with neuropathy and told there is nothing that can be done to cure it except time.

Juanita Wells

Following years of employment with medical insurance coverage, I became a victim of downsizing – not once but twice. I am currently employed by a non-profit group with less than five full-time employees which offers no medical coverage. My salary is too high to qualify for any kind of state or federal sponsored health insurance, and at 56 years old I am too young to qualify for Medicare. Having survived cancer and currently battling high blood pressure and diabetes, it is not possible to find insurance coverage due to these pre-existing conditions.

In order to continue to keep these pre-existing conditions under control, I must pay for my medical expenses out of pocket including $1000 for a CAT scan, doctor visits, medication, and lab work, which leaves me with a very tight budget to manage. Thankfully, I’ve been able to find some relief through the Visiting Nurse Association in Aurora and by comparing prices at local pharmacies and over the internet.

Robert Lee Hardy

It wasn’t much of an issue to me at the time. I figured I’m young, healthy, and in shape. I thought I’d be alright for at least two or three years or until I could find a job that has benefits.

Gerry Messler

For three years I have worked as a security officer for Hannon Security. Hannon only offers two health insurance plans to their employees. One is a comprehensive plan for management, and one is a bare-bones plan for officers that one manager calls the “Better Than Nothing” Plan.

When I was hospitalized for three days with chest pains, I found out that the officers’ plan wasn’t much better than nothing. As I got ready to leave the hospital, I learned that the bare-bones plan covered only a fraction of my bill.

I don’t make a lot of money guarding the office building of a major insurance company. At 63, a huge hospital bill could have ruined me financially. Fortunately, the hospital wrote off as “charity care” the majority of my bill that the Hannon bare-bones plan didn’t cover.

Aleta Taal

Strep throat would progress to rheumatic fever. I took him to the hospital where the $349 visit included three prescriptions I needed to fill. Forced to choose, I used my rent money to pay for Ryan’s prescriptions. The decision cost an additional $75 late fee for my rent, but what was I to do? You have a sick kid and you have to spend your rent money.

Now Ryan has insurance, but I still don't.

I recently had oral surgery. Unfortunately, the dental work became infected. Without money for the antibiotic, I spent countless sleepless nights in pain treating it with salt water.