At 27, I was uninsured for a year. Between jobs (non-profit jobs, nonetheless), I always knew that a clumsy step off the curb or a sudden sickness would mean emergency care and intolerable medical debt. A black cloud followed me everywhere, reminding me, “Better not get hurt or sick!” To avoid costly care, I called on friends and family in the medical field for favors and advice. I even came within an inch of eloping in Tahoe with boyfriend so I could get on his health insurance plan.

I can tell you this: it’s no way to live, constantly in fear for your health and your bank account. But millions of Americans live in that kind of constant anguish right now, and thousands of them have written to tell us about their own health SCARE stories – ranging from outrageous costs to denial of coverage to poor care. Even people with insurance are finding it difficult to afford the care they need.

The Cover America Tour is going to make sure these stories get heard.

We’re heading out across America in a Winnebago (that’s right, a Winnebago!). We want to hear people’s stories as they tell them, standing in their own communities – and maybe even their own living rooms. Health care is very personal… what has the experience meant in their day-to-day lives? What has it meant to their kids? Their jobs?

These stories, these people, must be heard as our leaders make critical decisions about health care reform.

Here’s a question for you Barack, John and Hillary: When a three-time cancer survivor loses her job and health insurance, which also covered her husband, a two-time cancer survivor himself, and the insurance company slaps the newly-unemployed woman with a $1000/month bill to continue her health coverage, what’s your solution? Carol from San Jose would like to know.

And so would I. Because no one chooses cancer or a car crash or diabetes, they just happen. And the stark truth is that we are all just one diagnosis or accident away from our own battles with the health care system.

The stories won’t always be easy to hear, but they must be told, and we’re going to cross the country to do it. The Cover America Tour includes a four-month itinerary through 48 states, 3 full-time staff living and working out of a 31-foot Winnebago, a website, a blog, media events, and video documentation of the whole shebang.

You’ve heard my health care story, and now I want to hear yours.

Go to www.CoverAmericaTour.org to see the videos of the people we’re talking to across America and to and follow the journey with our blog. And if you take a minute to tell us your story, we just might show up at your door.

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comments (2)

Comments

1 Posted by Don at 06/03/08 05:11 PM

To begin, I must acknowledge that the term "healthcare" is a mismoner. It should be "illness manipulation". Big Pharm is in control and must be stopped. This industry depends upon the "Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly" concept, as though to say, "This pharmaceutical product, effective or not, has side effects...but thats okay, we've got something for those, too."
By the way, I have many examples of how homeopathic, natural and holistic attempts have been far better solutions than doctors' treatments. For one, I had a wart frozen and removed only to grow back bigger and more painful than ever. I used apple cider vinegar to rid of it and it has been gone for 13 years. Another--a recurring-weekly-for-a-year cramping pain in my right side that was a symptom of a side effect from a medication I was taking. A "healthcare" practitioner called me a "worrywart"--exact word and the absolute truth. Soon after, I stumbled upon an ad banner on the internet questioning the issue I had. I responded and took the advise of that ad as closely as I could--I ate two green apples, a tablespoon of olive oil, and slept on my right side. I have not had that pain since. It has been eight years.
While living in Kansas City, MO in 2004, I received "healthcare" form a not for profit clinic. A hospital corporation over took the clinic only to shut it down, because it was not profitable for them.
Where will it end? Other countries have social medicine and it works just fine for them. Dependencies on the current "healthcare" situation in our country are too easily manipulated by greedy corporations. I question the hearts of the scientists, hospital administrators, etc. How do they live with themselves? If they had any sense of consciousness, they would have ulcers from being so stressed...but wait, there's a drug for that....and the greed is fed.

2 Posted by Annie Caldwell at 06/04/08 11:55 AM

Cover America Health may be the most important avenue of communication for the millions of uninsured Americans.
As I listened to the speeches of the two presidential candidates, it was difficult to hear much of what they said because of the lack of responsibility by our government in the area of health care.
We are the parents of two type I diabetics sons. One has had diabetes for 29 years. At one time, he was blessed to have coverage on a sliding scale through the state of Tennessee. Due to fraud and misuse of the benefits by hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans, the program was terminated except for children and maybe some adults.
Our son works 7 days a week and is drives at least 100 miles day working in real estate. He lost his insurance through GMAC recently because the company offering health insurance at total cost to the employee went bankrupt. Our son's wife then added him to her policy at work but as an individual at the cost of $500 a month with about a $5,000 deductable and no pharmacy benefits. In other words, he is paying out about $700 a month just to avoid bankruptcy in case he has to go to the hospital.
If one of the candidates doesn't make health care a key issue then I feel Americans need to rise up in protest of the message being sent to working Americans concerning the benefits of supporting oneself and moving our country forward and out of a welfare state. We see hundreds of thousands of adults in Tennessee being added to the disability roles, welfare roles, and other benefits and then these folks go and buy more drugs so as to be able to draw their disability checks. Know what bi-polar is? It is a new term for lazy , slothful, addicted humans who don't want to accept responsibility for earning a living. I know. I live in Tennessee and work in a capacity to know.It is an excuse straight from hell designed to bring our country to an all time level of disgrace due to low self-esteem and all the other "benefits" of those seeking to destroy our country.
Our second son is blessed to work with a utility company and he has excellent benefits . If he did not, as a Type I Diabetic, he deserves the same consideration as those who claim such illnesses as bi-polar disorder and have no problem being awarded benefits that outweigh the benefits I receive after working for 43 years as an educator.
I have no problem with folks having large incomes and assets but I won't be able to hear Barrack or John if they don't do something. Both are sitting on assets of such huge proportion that they would not understand how hard it is to wake up with low blood sugars and after 29 years, continue to understand why you can't get help with medical benefits. The cost of our son's insurance is such a threat to their financial status because working 7 days a week still does not guarantee that he will have the funds to pay that premium.
Please help the millions of Americans who work their butts off trying to support themselves. I have lost confidence in the very grassroot politicians.Is there one that would listen?
Annie Margaret Caldwell

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