"I have two grown adult children who have no health care and are job-hunting. While in college, they had none as well and one had to have a tonsillectomy. He started bleeding the next night and had emergency surgery which included an overnight hospital stay. I had to come up with $15,000 to cover that because there were no Medical Assistance programs to cover it and he was no longer eligible under my work insurance. As a county employee who grosses less than $45,000 per year, that's been a nightmare for me. My daughter also had no insurance after she graduated from high school and had a job that didn't offer health care. She had some medical issues and now has over $5000 in medical bills. Her only recourse will probably be to file for bankruptcy....if she can save enough money in order to file. There are too many people who do not seek medical treatment because they can't afford it. I myself sometimes question whether to continue taking medications because of the cost. EVERY American should have health care. PERIOD!"
- Marcia, Minneapolis, MN
Story collected by the Susan G. Komen Advocacy Alliance