Cover The Uninsured Week

Floor Speech

COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK -- (House of Representatives - April 24, 2007)

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight during Cover the Uninsured Week to draw attention to a national crisis.

According to the Census Bureau, 46.6 million Americans are without health insurance. Millions more encounter a health care system that is inadequate in meeting their basic medical needs because they are underinsured.

According to a recent Commonwealth Fund study, there are 16 million Americans who are underinsured, meaning that their insurance did not adequately protect them against catastrophic health care expenses. That means, in total, 61 million Americans have either no health insurance or only sporadic coverage, or have insurance coverage that leaves them exposed to high health care costs. Sixty-one million Americans is nearly 21 percent of all Americans, one in five.

The lack of affordable, comprehensive health care affects every congressional district in this Nation. To highlight the issue and the real impact that being uninsured has on the lives of Americans, I have selected some letters that I have received from my constituents who have had difficulty in obtaining and affording comprehensive health care coverage. Too often here in Congress we speak of health care issues in antiseptic jargon of policymakers and lawyers. But people across America are hurting, and these letters tell their stories in their own words.

I represent a district in south central Wisconsin, and while the letters I read may be from the State of Wisconsin, they speak to the difficulties of people all over the United States, difficulties people face every day. I am going to start with a few letters about the ever-increasing price of health care.

Eva from Madison, Wisconsin writes: ``I am contacting you in regards to my desperate need for public health care. I am a grad student. I recently sprained my ankle playing soccer and had to go to the emergency room for x-rays. My bill came out to $1,242.50 because I can only afford measly insurance that only has catastrophic coverage. This is a ridiculous amount of money for such a visit, and it causes me to consider those less fortunate than me who have even more serious injuries and less familial support. This cost can truly make waves in the lives of people.''

Suzanne from Stoughton, Wisconsin writes: ``It is time, time to have the government deal with health care. We are covered under COBRA, which will run out in March. The cost is going from $500 per month to $900 per month. We checked with Blue Cross, and they refused us coverage because of a preexisting condition. They will not even offer a waiver for this preexisting condition. We checked with the Wisconsin State Insurance Program, which will cover us for $1,200 per month. Please, let people over 60 buy into Medicare. It is impossible to find a job that offers health insurance.''

And then there is the story of Sylvia from Fitchburg, Wisconsin. Sylvia was uninsured when she was hospitalized with a need for an appendectomy. Even after the hospital charity program reduced her bill, she still owed over $11,000 to the hospital. Sometimes the bill collectors call her at home five times a day. Sylvia chips away at this bill sending in the most she can, $20 to $50 a month.

Roberta from Janesville, Wisconsin writes: ``I think insurance bills for both medical and dental care are horrendous. Both my husband and I work full time, with two small children, living pay check to pay check. My insurance costs have caused us many heartaches, with us owing more money than what needs to be paid. As a result, I will not get a needed medical procedure done. Something drastically needs to change in the United States of America where hardworking individuals and families can get the treatment they need without going broke.''

Roberta brings up an important point in her letter, because people without health insurance are often not getting the care that they desperately need. A recent study released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that cost prevented 41.1 percent of uninsured adults from seeking a doctor when they needed to seek care.

But getting needed care is also difficult for Americans who have health insurance because of the financial strain relating to high premiums, high health care costs, increasing copays, deductibles. These place an incredible strain on American families, often forcing them to choose between needed health care and basic necessities like food.

It is no wonder that illness, injury and medical debt is responsible for nearly 50 percent of all personal bankruptcies in the United States. Only about 40 percent of businesses who employ low-wage or part-time workers offer health benefits. And at $11,480 a year, the average family's health insurance premiums now cost more than a minimum wage worker makes in a year. And as we all know, the costs of health care are rising faster than inflation. Between 2000 and 2006, health premiums for employer-sponsored insurance jumped 87 percent, far outpacing inflation's 18 percent overall increase over the same period of time.

Patricia, from Madison, Wisconsin writes: We need to fix health care. I have to choose between heat and food and medications. I have lost 80 pounds because of this. Please help.

Heather, from Waterloo, Wisconsin writes: I am married and together with my husband I own a home. We live a modest, middle-class life, managing to always have what we need except for health care coverage. My husband has excellent health care at his job, but for me to also be covered by his plan, we would need to pay nearly $400 per month. That is two-thirds as much as our home mortgage. Through school, I have worked less and less in order to maintain health coverage, and I have only been able to afford short-term, major medical coverage. I am grateful that we can afford this, and it does make a difference. However, even now, I have a sore throat and I will wait for a few days to see how I feel. And I will wait because if I don't need to go, I will certainly save the money. This is disturbing to me, as a nursing student, because I know about the importance of early treatment and prevention. And it is upsetting to me as a person because I value my health. It is unacceptable to me as a citizen, because I know there are other people just like me who wait and get sicker or can't take the medications they need.

Mr. Speaker, simply put, our health care system is failing, and America knows this. Among the thousands of letters regarding health care that I receive, there is a common thread, a common theme that brings them together, and that common theme is an overwhelming frustration with the system, a system they know is just not working, and a call for us in Congress to take action, bold action.

Brad, from Mount Horeb, Wisconsin writes: I write to you today to urge you to take action on a growing crisis in America: health care. I strongly believe that we need a national health care plan to insure all Americans. My major concern with the current system is that when people attempt to obtain insurance, insurance companies refuse them because of past health history. Let's face it. Insurance companies are in business to make a profit. The best way to make a profit is to insure the healthy so you can minimize the claims you pay out, and not insure those who need medical care or may potentially need medical care.

Brad goes on to write: I am 38 years old, with a family of four. I currently participate in a health savings account. For all practical purposes, I pay all of my own medical needs, including the recent birth of our daughter. I recently attempted to switch insurance providers. The insurance companies will insure me, but they will not insure my daughter for any type of treatment for her asthma for 3 years, along with no drug coverage for life. The policy I was requesting had a $10,000 deductible, yet they still refused the coverage.

Lisa, from Madison, Wisconsin writes: I am a very healthy person, and my husband and children are very healthy. We cannot get insurance. I think everyone should attempt to gain an individual health policy just to see how impossible it is. I am not a risk. Really, I am not. I am terrified right now because we are uninsured.

Carol, from Madison, Wisconsin writes: As someone who has had no health insurance at all for 3 years, I can tell you that it was pretty miserable being one of the millions of people in this country without health insurance. Not long ago, my best friend died at age 42 because of ovarian cancer because she did not have health insurance and waited too long to see what was causing all of her symptoms. Yes, people in America actually die from not having health insurance.

Darla from Fitchburg, writes me. She says, ``I lost my job because of unpredictable attendance due to my health issues. Upon losing my job I signed up for COBRA. Last week I received a letter indicating that my COBRA eligibility ends soon. In order for me to get health coverage, I would have to work at least 20 hours per week, but my physicians believe that it would do me more harm than good relating to my health issues. If I don't get some sort of health insurance, I will need to stop all treatments, as I have no money to pay for doctors' services. My prescription drugs will have to stop, as I will not be able to pay for them either. What can I do?'' Darla asks.

Kimberly, from Madison, Wisconsin writes to me, ``I am writing today because of my family's frustration and anxiety over health care. Although we hear a lot of rhetoric about making health care more affordable and/or more available for Americans, nothing is happening, at least not soon enough.

``Let me briefly share our story,'' Kimberly proceeds. ``My husband recently started his own business. Obviously, it will take some time for his new company to see any profits, much less income. In the meantime, we are without health insurance. I am 5 months pregnant, and we have a 2-year-old son. Because of my preexisting condition, we cannot buy affordable health coverage. COBRA would cost us $1,200 per month. I am currently applying for Medicaid and other forms of public assistance as a last resort. This is ridiculous.

``As someone with no insurance, I wonder what could possibly be the problem with implementing a public health care system. Oh, I have heard the horrible stories about having fewer choices in doctors or longer waiting lists for procedures and less incentive among doctors and researchers to develop new technologies. But what is most frightening to me is the chance that my son might get sick, or my baby might be born with expensive complications while we are uninsured.

``I am not naive. I know that funding public health care is an issue. But is it wise to sacrifice the health and well-being of American citizens to avoid the challenge of implementing a change? I, for one, would be satisfied to pay more for goods and services if I could rest assured that my family's basic health care needs were being met.''

David, from Cross Plains, Wisconsin writes, ``My wife and I have been self-employed for over 18 years, and have paid thousands of dollars for health insurance premiums. As of a few months ago, we had to drop out and are now without health insurance. The cost is completely out of reach. In fact, it is nuts. Now that I am 50 years old, it is not a matter of if I will have health problems, it is a matter of when. Tammy, we will lose everything we have ever worked for. So much for the American dream. Now we look forward to dying broke and possibly homeless.''

Victor, from Stoughton, Wisconsin, writes, ``My wife can only work part time because of her health. Her employer offers a generic policy that costs only $3.97 per week and requires no background check. This policy covers basically nothing. Medical supplies, check-ups, doctors' visits necessary on a routine basis for my wife to survive are now not covered. My wife is uninsurable because of her health, and we have been turned down for health insurance that we have applied for. We cannot believe that this is happening.''

Ronald, from Deerfield, Wisconsin writes, ``I was on COBRA insurance for 3 years, which ended this past fall. I spent from March until September trying to get private insurance, but could not because of my neck injury. I was, in effect, looked at and dismissed by 33 private insurance companies because of my preexisting condition with my neck injury. Imagine how you would feel, after being dismissed by this many companies. I was finally insured through disability and Medicare. The sad reality of it is that if I want to try to work full-time again, I cannot, because in doing so it would cost me the only insurance options that I have left.

``The truth is that many other countries can and do provide equitable health insurance to all of their citizens, no matter what preexisting conditions they have, or their ability to pay, or what income level they have. I believe this country does have top-notch medical facilities, but not decent or equitable insurance for the poor and middle-income families.

Susan, from Baraboo, Wisconsin writes me, ``I am writing you today regarding health insurance coverage for single people with no children. As of this time, I feel that I am left out of the loop in regards to this topic. I am 42, and last September I was diagnosed with breast cancer. In January of this year, the company that I worked for informed us that they would be closing down. I was laid off in December while I was out due to my cancer treatment. I have been searching for health care coverage everywhere because my COBRA will be going up, and I am on unemployment and barely able to pay the $244.76 for the coverage now. I cannot get insurance because of the breast cancer.

``The High Risk State Insurance Program, which is the Wisconsin program, is too expensive for me to get coverage, since they want 4 months of premiums up front, and as they only cover some things. What are single people supposed to do,'' Susan asks? ``We don't qualify for any government assistance because we are single. We cannot go without insurance. There are no programs to help us out. So when you are working on health care in the House of Representatives, please remember that there are other single people out there also in my shoes. I am at a crossroads because I have no avenue for assistance when it comes to health care. Come November, I will be unable to get coverage when I need it at this point in my life:

Janet from Portage, Wisconsin writes, ``I have a 53-year-old brother who has psoriasis all over his body and arthritis that is caused by this. Three weeks ago he fell and needs surgery on his shoulder to repair it. He has no job, no money, and no insurance. We started looking for a program to help him. There are none that we can find. There is nothing to get him help to get his shoulder fixed. But after it heals wrong and he is disabled because of it, then there are programs to help him. They won't help him get it fixed so he can find a good job. Instead, they would rather support him for the rest of his life instead of trying to help him now:

Gail, from Janesville, Wisconsin writes, ``My husband recently lost his job. He applied for over 100 positions, only to be told that he lacked a college degree, or he is overqualified, or that they can only pay $8 an hour. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of 1998, and again in 2003. I have gone through breast cancer twice, and have undergone a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. COBRA has run out, and without a stable income, we cannot afford to pay the premiums for our own health care policy. My husband is 59 and I am 58, and we have no medical coverage. I have looked into every insurance company and get turned down because of my medical history. All our lives we have paid into these insurance companies, only to be turned away when we need the coverage the most.''

Lastly, I want to relay a story that was shared with me by Laurie. Laurie is a fourth grade teacher in the Madison, Wisconsin, public school system. Laurie recently had a student fall during recess and break his foot. Laurie wrote: ``As he was waiting, in extreme pain and cold, for the school nurse to get to him, he cried to an assistant waiting with him, 'I can't go to the doctor. We don't have insurance.'''

That a 9- or 10-year-old boy should think even something like this is an atrocity.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that as Cover the Uninsured Week continues, my colleagues will join me in recognizing that obtaining comprehensive, affordable health care presents a very real challenge for millions upon millions of Americans. We cannot turn a deaf ear to our constituents' pleas for help. I invite my colleagues to join me in working on this most pressing domestic priority to provide affordable health care for all Americans.

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