Guaranteed Healthcare

My name is Scott P. and I live in southern New England. My wife is employed by a big box retailer in the home repair industry as a sales associate. She makes $30,680.00 per year gross. She is the “bread winner” in the family as I am disabled with extreme Osteoarthritis, causing severe back and leg pain and limiting my ability to work. I am able, with very powerful pain medications to work three days per week caused by chronic pain. I have been turned down for Social Security Disability because I am able to work three days per week. I make $14,664.00 per year. Our total gross income per year is $45,344.00.

Even though we have limitations, it sounds that we should be able to pay our bills and provide a reasonable home and food for our children, BUT WE CANNOT. Please let me explain. The answer is two fold. One: My first wife died in 1989 of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a form of cancer. Our medical bills were only PARTLY covered by our health insurance, and after her death, I owed over a quarter of a million dollars to Vanderbilt University Hospital. This is the only hospital that our insurance company would cover, but we thought we were blessed in that they specialize in this type of cancer, BUT TO NO AVAIL.

After not being able to pay this hospital bill (they demanded $2,000 per month as payments for the outstanding bill), combined with a house payment, and other typical bills such as utilities, I was forced into bankruptcy. My 18 month old son and I also had no health insurance, as we had been covered through my wife’s employer. We were left homeless, and without health insurance. Two: After working two full time jobs for several years, my son and I were able to at least afford an apartment, and in 1993, I married again. We now have two children and need to make SURE to have health insurance coverage.

Through her work, we have access to a company called United Health Care, and have been blessed to be covered for the past several years. Yet, this coverage has continued to dramatically increase in cost, while the company paid portion of this coverage has dramatically decreased. Our current payment for health insurance coverage, per month, is $624.50. In addition, our co-payment has also dramatically increased to $30.00 per visit, plus a large family deductible. My medications alone represent another cost of over $580.00 per month. We therefore have only a gross pay of $37,850.00. After Federal Income Tax, Social Security Tax, and State Taxes, and My Prescriptions our take home pay combined is $20,083.83. Yes, we are the working POOR. And health care is the reason.

We have less than $1,675.00 per month to pay our rented home, provide food, utilities, etc. for our family, and less if anyone must see the doctor due to the co-payment. What are we to do? How do we do it? We eat tons of hot dogs, no veggies (they are currently too expensive), eggs, milk, OJ and lots of bread. That’s it.

We make TOO MUCH MONEY for any state assistance, so we have been advised that I quit my job to meet income guidelines for state assistance. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? ADVISED TO QUIT MY JOB? I believe that if I can work, at least a few days, I should do it! I have never taken money from any social service program. I don’t want a hand out; I want to be a productive American! But, health care costs are forcing me to worry about my children’s health with such a poor diet, AND the home we rent, the rent goes up every year! Am I unpatriotic to pray for a social health system that helps Americans like me? I say NO, NO, NO. The health care issue has influenced my children’s lives for almost 20 years with no end in sight.

America needs a health care plan, and quickly. Americans, like my family and I, need a government that puts the health care issue first! Don’t forget this when you vote in November!