There is no "Intro"-let's just get straight to it.
I am no freeloader. I have always worked. I was a divorced mother of two, and even without child support, never took one red cent from any government agency. A family crisis caused me to move and become self employed. I took out NASE Insurance (National Association for the Self Employed). All went well until I was found to have Crohn's Disease. Crohn's is not life threatening, but it is regarded by the insurance industry as one of the most costly diseases because you have it all your life, and it usually requires numerous surgeries. It took about two years for NASE to raise my premiums so high that I literally could not pay it anymore. As soon as any other insurance company found out about the Crohn's disease, they refused to cover me at any price.
The next rattle out of the box came when I woke up from being in a coma for an entire month because of diabetes. My hospital bill came to over $2000,000.00. Filing bankruptcy was out of the question because my daughter signed the "consent to treat" form which was worded in such a way that she now is obligated to pay my hospital debt if I don't. I pay them $150 a month. It will never be paid off in my lifetime.
In November of 2003, Texas Governor Perry took away the "spin down" program from the state's Medicaid program. Since I had SOME money saved, Medicaid would have paid a portion of my hospital bill under the spin down program, and the rest would have be mine to pay. So, no help from the State of Texas!
The next step was to file for disability under the Social Security program, but you have to be unable to work for two years to qualify for it. The coma left me with a load of nasty side effects making work for me impossible. I passed the two years living off my credit cards. Don't ask-it's a massive debt!
Finally, after two years, I did get on Medicare under the Social Security's disability program. Now, I needed a Medicare Supplement insurance policy. I am not yet 65 so all the Medicare Supplement insurance companies knew there was something already wrong with me, They either refused to cover me or their premiums were so high, it would have been impossible for me to afford them. Finally, AARP agreed to insure me. At first, their premiums were acceptable. Then year after year the premiums started to increase. People living on Social Security haven't received a raise. Our Medicare Part B deductible has not increased, but you can bet the main insurer for the older generation has continued to raise their premiums EVERY YEAR. EVEN AARP....EVEN AARP ! ALL insurance companies are the same. Even the ones who advertise about being an advocate for the elderly.
Still, I can't complain. My little $30,000.00 house is paid for and under Texas law is homesteaded so I am not homeless like some are. The unsecured debt I have on my credit cards (run up to the max while I was unable to work) can go fish. They can't take my house away from me, and if they aren't interested in my $50 a month payment, I'll be happy to quit paying them!
These so-called town hall meetings that have turned into shouting matches are a disgrace to our country. There MUST be a way for every American to have health care coverage and the less it has to do with the insurance companies, the better I'll like it. If it is true what I read that the insurance companies are spending millions each month to keep us from having health care for all Americans then you must be a total fool not to realize who is behind these god-awful "protests". Get a grip on reality. Or as Barney Frank said to a protestor the other day, "On what planet have you been spending your time?"
Oh, and just for the record. I support President Barack Obama. I worked for him during his campaign. I supported him with my money and my time. I drink coffee out of a "Barack Obama for President" coffee mug. I have a poster of him next to my computer, and a framed invitation to his inauguration proudly hung in my living room.