"In my job as a health reporter and among my own family and friends, I’ve seen many people with seemingly good insurance coverage struggle with medical expenses. Some examples:
- A family I know is facing bankruptcy because the wife’s breast cancer treatment exceeded the insurance cap. She died, and the family is now left with about 0,000 in unpaid medical bills.
- Last week I wrote about Eric De La Cruz, a young Nevada man whose needed heart transplant wasn’t covered by Medicaid. The family raised nearly million to pay for it, but after repeated delays and red tape, Mr. De La Cruz died before he could have the operation.
- One of my own family members lost her health insurance after a devastating traffic accident. Although insurance covered her initial care, the accident left her partly disabled and she could no longer work full time. She lost her insurance, and can’t buy new coverage because of her many pre-existing medical problems. Because she works part time, she doesn’t qualify for Medicaid or Medicare. And her employer, a small-business owner, can’t afford to provide insurance for its workers.
Have you had problems with your health insurance? Have you been denied care or faced mounting medical bills? Please join the discussion and share your stories below."