christine from Cleone, CA
Posted on 05 July 2009
My husband was diagnosed with melanomas when he was 45 years old. We wanted to make a change when he received better job opportunity offers than the job he was on when diagnosed. We were told he could never leave that employer even if the new company had the same health care company (we have Kaiser Permanete) because the company had the insurance; he was not personally insured by the heath care provider. Due to his diagnosis, even the same health care provider would not cover him if he changed employers. The physicians were appalled, but they were the ones that tipped us off. For the next five years we applied to every carrier you can imagine, even the ones that take “everyone” well, they do not. My husband stayed on the job, which required more and more time away from our family. Only dying of cancer before he was 55 freed him from this burden! I applied for and paid for health coverage oout of pocket (with Kaiser Permanente) as an individual way before I was eligible for Medicare because I was petrified if I got something that would disqualify me from coverage before he died, I would have no insurance after COBRA ran out. I was thrilled to turn 65 and get my Medicare card, now I am safe–but what a way to live. I find it embarassing and shameful that a civilized nation like ours does not have a standard of medical coverage for all citizens. If one wants additional insurance, and can afford it then great. But to deny people a safety net, like our four children upon graduating from college, who went without insurance for awhile because they were not on welfare and yet not employed long enough to get insurance through their employer. A final footnote or two: While traveling in England years ago, my husband got hepatitis, though we had medical coverage, the UK covered all of his care–amazing! After Katrina I found it so very pathetic that we had working people without medical coverage and their health was so sorely neglected. They were not on welfare and they were citizens. Shameful. Until the day I die I will fight for the USA to have national health care–it, like all systems isn’t going to be perfect, but it will be far better than what we have now. My six year old grandson has a severe case of chiara a skull abnormality. My son has medical coverage through teaching college, but if he was to lose his job little Luca will be uninsurable. He is being scheduled for brain and skull surgery possibly this summer
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