20/20's John Stossel 47 million uninsured

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Loretta Kamrar, IA

I fortunately married an Italian and we are covered by the health services in Italy. It is shameful to think that tourists coming to America have no coverage when in the USA but the millions of Americans who travel to Italy or other countries in the European Union are given FREE healthcare when here. There is no billing for Emergency and most other services. I, as an American but a foreign resident, have no valid coverage in the USA! The system is totally broken,unfair,and a money-making farce. Prescriptions which I take in Italy and obtain free of charge cost exhorbitant amounts in the USA. I have to wait for medicare in order to travel comfortably in the USA.The Canadians who travel to the USA are terrified to be in the USA for more that a short period of time for the same reason.They are lucky to have a National Health Service. Making money from ones health is shameful!

 

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Rachael Saint Louis, MO

I'm a 26 year old woman with an undergraduate degree and a juris doctorate. Last year, while still in law school, my gall bladder became infected. It had to be removed in an emergency procedure, which kept me in the hospital for 8 days as I battled pancreatitus. When everything was said and done, my bills were over $100,000. I fought my insurance company for over a year to get them to make payments on my claims, while they tried to deny them, calling my gall bladder infection a pre existing condition. When I finally prevailed, I was told that the insurance company settled with the hospital for under $40,000. I find it disgusting that my health care is being covered by a corporation, whose purpose is to turn a profit, and thus is benefitted by denying my claim in any way possible. I also find it reprehensible that when I, a private citizen, owed the debt, it was over twice what the giant insurance corporation owed. Having to pay that debt would have forced me to file for bankruptcy, and ruined my credit at age 26. I'm not the "lazy bum" that people who don't support universal health care describe. I'm an upstanding citizen who votes, pays taxes, has seven years of post high school education, and contributes to society. Through no fault of my own, I almost faced financial ruin because my gall bladder ruptured, and my student health insurance coverage was so poor. I want to live in a country where we value education enough to pay taxes to support it, and we provide health care to the individuals taking advantage of that education so that they can take this step without fear of financial ruin.