Sen. Bernie Sanders has put out a
booklet of stories from around the country about health-care coverage woes.
"It is my intention to read some of these letters on the floor of the Senate. Every American needs to hear what’s going on with health care in this country," Sanders said.
Some samples:
"My younger brother, a combat decorated veteran of the Vietnam conflict, died three weeks after being diagnosed with colon cancer. He was laid off from his job and could not afford COBRA coverage. When he was in enough pain to see a doctor, it was too late. He left a wife and two teenage sons in the prime of his life at 50 years old. The attending doctor said that if he had only sought treatment earlier he would still be alive.
Jim,
Swanton, Vt.
"My daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 22, just when she was finishing college and launching into her own life to be self-supporting. Not only was she unable to find a job that included health benefits; she could not make enough to pay the enormous cost of daily care and regular visits to a doctor in order to learn how to control this life threatening condition. As a result she put her expenses for diabetes on her credit care and soon found herself with an unpayable balance of over $14,000 with over 20 percent interest added. She became depressed and overwhelmed and said to me sadly, "Mom, I know they will never find a cure for diabetes in my lifetime because they make too much money on supplies and treatment."
Marilyn,
West Halifax, Vt.
"For 15 years, my wife and I were self-employed as craftsmen, making jewelry for our own business. One of the biggest problems we had to deal with was affording health insurance for ourselves and, later, our son. Now, we have been forced to abandon this business partially due to insurance costs, and I do not think that it is possible for us to restart it with the current system of health care. "
Randall,
Sharon, Vt.
Will it be effective?
- Terri Hallenbeck
Labels: Bernie Sanders, Congress, health care, politics, vermont legislature
