My husband was retired but not yet 65. Had no insurance. I work part-time so have no insurance. He ws in the hospital for 20 days and I'm really scared what is going to happy since he had no insurance. They gave me some forms to fill out for Medi-Cal. I'm asking for prayers that they accept the Medi-Cal otherwise I don't know what I'm going to do. There is no way that I can pay the hospital bills. Thank you for your prayers.

Who could afford six hundred dollars a month.?

I have lost all my extended health coverage so I have no dental, physio, eye glasses, ambulance or drug coverage. I am going to go to Blue Cross or something and buy some. It should only cost sixty dollars a month. Other than that everything else is covered. I am glad I live in Canada and don't have the worries about it. All of John's care was covered. I have no hospital bills. What a blessing.

Yes Beasley, I agree. The system isn't perfect but I am very thankful we have free health care in Canada.

Last year my husband and I both lost our jobs on the same day - June 10th. On June 9th I had lost my part-time job as well. My insurance would go till end of August but our family coverage was under my husband's employer. Since I also would be losing my job he was not allowed to go on my insurance - so we had to go on COBRA. We were pleasantly surprised to learn The COBRA was only $150/month. February before last Obama enforced some law that significantly reduced the cost of COBRA - thank goodness - without it the cost would have been around $1,000. I know of one person who is still under the Obama plan on COBRA.

But, just last week I was talking to a co-worker who lost her full time job the first week of June and is now paying $700/mo. I mentioned how Obama had changed all that and she said Obama's reduction with COBRA ended on May 31st and her job was lost the first week of June. So - that's my understanding of the COBRA issue.

Two years ago my 22 yr old son lost his health insurance & I tried to get him private coverage. Because of a blood clotting disorder and previous DVT no one would give him coverage. Called the local hospital and he joined the clinic at the hospital - all prescriptions, blood tests (he takes coumadin & is tested every 2 wks), and MD appointments were FREE!! Wow - without insurance I was paying less money than when he was covered. (I had a copay with insurance.) This is how it was for 10 months until I got a new job and he was allowed back on my insurance. So - there is help out there in some places - but I bet a lot of people don't know about it.

I'm just grateful that we don't have this as an extra burden in the UK - it's really so hard having to deal with this kind of thing while you are totally in shock.

I can't imagine having the burden of hospital bills on top of everything else you are going through. I am so thankful to be here in Canada, also that my Darling's work still covers me for everything else until I peg out. I hope everything works out for you

It is unfair how these insurance companies get away so much. My husband died 8/23/09 and the insurance company cut my daughter and I off 8/24. I am fortunate that with all my p/t jobs I can keep the bills paid but I have not been able to find full time employment with benefits. I tried to get help through Social Services but was told I don't qualify. Had one person there tell me that if only I had a child under 18....... I was so angry at that point I told her ," well I can fix that, see you next year" and I walked out.

My thoughts and prayers are with you. God, will come through for you.
Hugs Dan

Sorry, I made my reply to katmommie2. Brain not working today.

I don't have health insurance right now. I am a stay home mom, and my kids and I would have to pay 800 a month to COBRA my husbands insurance. It was not worth it. I am not sick, and neither are my kids. The state of Utah offers a program for this kind of problem and it is called CHIPS, and so my kids are on that. I , for one, need to get my prescription filled. I have to go to the doctor's for that, and will have to pay that. I know we need a health plan in this country, but a lot of people are greedy these days and don't like the thought of it. It is a problem, especially for the widows and the fatherless, and for everyone. Everyone should have health care. Hugs~Shelley

I was covered for a year from his policy and since have a private policy which it is getting harder to make the payments on but because I have money in retirement I can't get any kind of help. But if I have to use what little I saved I worry about how to make it alone and on social security. It seems in this country being a hard worker and putting money back to retire with gets very little respect but if you do not work and have nothing then and only then can you get the help you need I resent this so much! The new health care plan worries me but something has to be done!

I think about all of those people who are too young to retire, yet considered too old to find a job. They end up retiring, under 65, and on social security. Since they're under 65 they can't get free health coverage.

If you're old enough to collect, then you find the coverate is inadequate.

I've been blessed. I'm one of the few who've always enjoyed good health coverage. Never even had to pay for it until 10 years ago. Still, I want everyone to have it. The new health care plan is something I'm willing to suffer through for the greater good. No one should have to pay 600 dollars out of pocket. If I had that type of money, I wouldn't need to work.

So much of what we do in this country is governed by health insurance concerns! So many of our decisions surround this. I for example am going to work until I'm 63 1/2, take 18 months of COBRA, and then have Medicare at 65. Craig was going to retire a year sooner because he always thought he'd die early (although not quite this early) - he was going to the Social Security age because his health insurance was moved to be under my employer for security. I hate how it dictates so many of the other choices we make.

I worked 32 years and had benefits then they restructured and I was retired early. I was only 55. *I had a severance package for a year and I paid $215 a month for continued coverage. After the year, because the retired me, they offered me the retirement coverage which was $620 a month!! I got on my husbands insurance and am now on widow's coverage which just went up so I am paying $403 a month.
Obama's plan may not be the best but it is a start of what is truely necessary. I think for profit health insurance isn't the way to go., There is too much greed.
I think I am somewhat a socialist in my thinking toward health and education. So many aren't able to attend college due to funds. Education is the future of the USA and we are falling so behind.

I volunteer at our local hospital and am amazed at the number of people from all walks of life who DON'T have insurance.

With all of the specialist visits, cancer treatments, visits to the hospital and surgeries (both of us), I have no idea what I would be facing if not for insurance.

Another blessing