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Zoraida G., Camden NJ
I'm retired and my husband retired at the end of April 2009. Our health care came through his Union benefits. When he retired those benefits ended. The union is providing us $1,000.00 each year for the next 5 years to help defray our health care costs, but we are responsible for the rest. I fear this will not be enough to cover our health care needs for the next few years until we become eligible for Medicare. I have some health conditions that require long-term medication including arthritis, chronic stomach problems and glaucoma. Every eye doctor visit costs $200.00 and I should see the doctor every three months. The co-pay for three months worth of eye medication used to be $44.00 - I can't even imagine how I would afford the full cost of that medication if it was no longer covered under my retirement benefits.
I cancelled my doctor appointment in May, not knowing when I'll see the doctor again. I'm due for a mammogram (I'm high-risk for breast cancer) as well as a colonoscopy, an upper GI and an arthritis follow up. Thank God my husband's health is pretty good. The cost of COBRA was going to be $927.00 a month, which we cannot accept since it is going to be more than the pension check. We also own some rental properties in Camden, but still we cannot find affordable health insurance. I'm looking at options right now and there aren't many out there.
November 29, 2009
Natalio S. (Told by his father, Moraida S.), Trenton NJ
My son Natalio had a kidney transplanted when he was only 24 months old, which I donated to him. During his treatments he developed heart problems and asthma. He went for treatment at Children's Hospital in New Brunswick. He has had many health problems over the years, and he is now 12 years old and has received a second kidney transplant. He is receiving chemotherapy treatment at Cooper Medical Center in Philadelphia. Even though we have Medicaid it sometimes is hard for us to cover medications that insurance will not cover. Our family and friends help us with the expenses when they can.
November 22, 2009
Eric C., Trenton NJ
I'm 22 years old. In 2005 I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Since then, I have had 4 surgeries, including a full colectomy. The diagnosis has changed to Crohn's Disease, a debilitating disease which has changed my life forever. It is an autoimmune disease, which means my immune system is over-active working against my body, causing severe diarrhea and inflammation of the intestine. As a result, to control the inflammation I am required to take medication that is given intravenously. After using other treatments, including oral medication, this one has proven to be the most effective. My condition has improved significantly. However, I must travel to Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia (an hour away from my home) every two months for the treatment.
I was 17 when I was first diagnosed with this disease and since then I have been fortunate to be covered under my father's health insurance provided by his employer. However, at 22 years old I am worried about my time limitations under my father's coverage, especially since I still need another surgery to reverse the ileostomy, and down the road it is likely that I will need additional operations. I also have to continue taking my medication indefinitely. Affordable health coverage is a major concern for me. I worry about finding coverage. Given my preexisting health conditions this might be difficult, if not impossible.
November 12, 2009
Shawn McR., Trenton NJ
I'm 56 years old and my wife Pat is 51. We live in a 2 bedroom apartment around the corner from my church, Westminster Presbyterian. I've been a member there for 15 years. I'm a Deacon in the church, and we're developing a wonderful children's choir. When we were younger, both Pat and I had problems with drugs and alcohol, but we're both in a recovery community. We're trying to reclaim our lives with the help of our church.
I work full-time as a limousine driver and I earn about $35,000 a year, but I don't get health insurance through my work. Pat doesn't work — instead she cares for her 8 year old granddaughter and has gone back to school to get her GED. We don't have anything left over to buy health insurance.
I had a stroke 6 years ago, back when I did have health insurance. Pat has fibroid tumors. She needs surgery and we're trying to figure out a way to get that for her. We need a regular doctor to keep up with us, one who knows our history and can help us monitor our conditions. Instead, we have to use the ER. We have about $2,000 in unpaid medical bills from using the ER, and I can't afford to buy the medications I should be taking for my heart and high blood pressure. Sometimes I feel dizziness or fatigue. I've had a bad toothache for 2 months, but I'm just trying to ignore it — it would cost me $80 to get it pulled, and that's money we just don't have right now.
You work hard to try to get ahead, but the medical bills just push you back down. You can see why some people lose hope. We're a family trying to do the right thing, but we just need a little help so we can afford the health care we need.
October 27, 2009
Joe G. (Told by Stephen Tumolo, Director of Youth Ministry, St. Rose of Lima Catholic Community), Haddon Heights NJ
Joe Garcia was the father of a boy in my youth group and the trumpet player in our church choir. He gave everything to his family, his music, and his church. We worked together managing the meat department at a supermarket that suddenly went out of business.
With that job loss, Joe lost his health coverage. Soon after he was diagnosed with cancer, but his treatment was delayed as Joe struggled to get into a health plan given that he had a pre-existing condition. Joe died within 12 months. We will never know if he would have lived had his treatment not been delayed for six full months, but he deserved that chance. His son, wife and our church community all deserved that chance. We all miss him dearly.
It is unjust and unfair that health care is a commodity, sold only to those who can afford it. Children, the elderly, the unemployed and the sick need the same access to health care that the rest of our society receives. Providing access to affordable health care for all is the mark of a just and fair society.
October 14, 2009
Ron B. (Told by Rev. Heyward Wiggins, Pastor, Camden Bible Tabernacle Church) Camden NJ
I had a parishioner named Ron Butler. He was truly dedicated to serving our Lord — a regular at Bible study who always greeted fellow parishioners with a smile. He was a self-employed limo driver and never hesitated to donate his skills behind the wheel of our church van. Ron couldn't afford health insurance and, earlier this year — at the age of 56 — he started suffering from unexplained headaches, dizziness and stomach problems.
He went to a doctor who told him he needed some blood tests, which would cost him about $1,000 — out of pocket — for each test. He had to wait until he had enough money to pay for the tests before a doctor could tell him what was wrong. Meanwhile, the headaches and stomach pains got worse. The pain was unbearable. He had no recourse but to go to the emergency room for treatment...where he was turned away because he had no insurance.
A week later, Ron ended up taking an ambulance to the same hospital and was once again sent home without proper treatment. A good friend called and asked me to go check on him at his home. I found him disoriented and not very responsive. Two other church members helped me take him to another hospital. A few hours later I got a call — Ron had cancer. There were tumors in his stomach, in his lungs and in his liver. He had one tumor the size of a plum in his brain. Ron died four days later. I led his funeral and had to bury my parishioner, my friend, who died because he could not afford the health care he needed.
October 8, 2009
Mildred F.
As a retired health insurance broker with over twenty years of experience in the sale of group health coverage to business owners, I chose to deal only with very reputable, highly-rated insurance companies in the belief that I was acting in the best interest of my clients. Although by law I was required only to acquire sufficient continuing education credits to qualify for license renewal, I additionally made every effort to attend industry educational seminars to be even better informed.
Yet, I was unprepared when I learned that a long-time client, whose employees in the past had filed only routine claims for medical care, had had his health insurance contract canceled.
September 24, 2009
Joyce M., Cranford NJ
I am 50 years old, married and have two children. I recently became unemployed. My husband and I both lost our jobs at the same time. We were owners and partners of a small business. The economic downturn devastated the company, forcing us to shut our doors.
After having always worked and had insurance my entire life (and using it primarily for routine yearly visits as we’ve always been very healthy), today, my family is without health coverage. I am in the process of enrolling my son Michael (14) and daughter Gianna (8) in NJ FamilyCare. Because private insurance is so expensive, we are unable to afford it. My husband just recently started a new job as a subcontractor for a financing company, but he will not be provided with health benefits at this new job.
This experience has been extremely difficult for my family. The stress and mental anguish has taken a toll on all of us. We worry about being able to pay the bills on time and buying basic necessities. We try to keep our children involved in regular activities to keep some normalcy in our lives. My husband and I have put off our yearly physicals and paid entirely out-of-pocket to cover the children's doctor visits. I need a mammography but I just have to wait. It seems unfair and unreasonable that America, the richest country in the world, treats us this way, without respect and dignity.
September 23, 2009
Lauren Agoratus, Newark NJ
My name is Lauren Agoratus and I am a parent and advocate. My daughter Stephanie was born with end stage renal disease and spent her first two weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia hooked up to a heart monitor, respirator, IV, and feeding tube and was not expected to survive. Her first NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) bill was $28,000 for 11 days. We were an unusual family in that prior to our child's birth we had no credit card debt, no car loans, and student loans were paid off. Although we were frugal, we had to put our mortgage on a credit card until we caught up. Despite this, that first year we were $20,000 in debt due to lost wages and medical bills, so we almost lost our home.
September 22, 2009
Jim C., Dover NJ
I am self-employed and remain without health coverage because I'm forced to give priority to urgently needed, major dental work. I'm facing many thousands of dollars in dental expenses, beginning now in 2009 and continuing through next year. So I can not afford health insurance — like so many millions of other Americans.
August 18, 2009
Sue D., Plainsboro NJ
I am on cobra but I cannot afford it anymore. It costs me $523.00 each month. I want affordable health care. In NJ there is an individual plan offered by four insurance companies all of which are expensive and offer "barebones" coverage. I need affordable health insurance right now or I will be without any insurance. I am scared to go to the doctor because I do not know how long I will be able to maintain my health insurance.
July 8, 2009
Tina G., Newark NJ
My brother needs surgery and he works only part time and his health insurance don't cover surgery so he goes to a surgeon and the surgeon lets him fill out an application for credit for a loan to get the surgery and the loan company denies him due to a recent bankruptcy so now he has to work with this big thing growing out of his neck and possibly the core growing into his spine and crippling him for life then they'll give him ssi but for now its sorry no money no credit no surgery does that even make sense in a counrty where we pay for everyone who dont work to get care and for their families then those of us who work cant even get our families taken care of wow shame on america.
June 16, 2009
Lillian U.
I recently heard that the 2010 State Budget has in it the addition of co-pays for HIV/AIDS drugs under ADAAP. This could be a death sentence people with HIV who are living in poverty. In hopes that it may help to prevent this from remaining in the budget, I would like to share my story with you. My former husband, Ruben Rivera, was HIV+. He has died since the events that I will share with you.
April 15, 2009
Diana A.
My husband and I are parents with children ranging in age from 16 to 32. Our oldest son and his wife have a two-year old daughter. His wife was just laid off, losing her health insurance. Their daughter is covered by the State Children's Health Insurance Program, but they do not have insurance for themselves. So when they are sick, they can't go to the doctor, but once she catches it, they can take her to the doctor! One of our two daughters has special mental health needs. She requires two medications a month.
April 15, 2009
Stan J., Social Worker, Virtual Early Intervention Program
I am working with a family who have an almost two year old with quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Before the dad lost his job in February, they made too much money to qualify for most Medicaid programs. We applied for the DDD Medicaid waiver program, for which they would have qualified, last June. We were told that the program had been terminated by the state. This was confirmed in a face to face meeting last October and in a subsequent letter in November.
The family has outstanding medical bills of around $4,000.00. The NJ Department of Human Services told us to contact Medicaid. So far, they have been unable to help. The crux of the issue is that the state chose to shut down a program for providing health insurance (and case management) within DDD without first ensuring that a comparable program was created within Medicaid. This has left many families in a dire situation. Meanwhile, I have reapplied for Family Care for the family in order to get current health insurance coverage.
April 15, 2009
Katie B.
We are a family of six, 2 parents, a 9 year old boy, three 6 year old girls, one of those with mild cerebral palsy, and all the issues that go along with that. We visit her pediatrician, eye doctor, orthopedist, enterologist, orthotist for brace construction, and the dentist. We have private insurance that we pay for through my husband's employer with large deductibles. We should be getting other therapies for her that we must forego, because we have other children with general health needs as well that need the check ups, the dentist visits etc. As parents we too are a bit older and our healthcare needs are growing as well.
April 15, 2009
Irene D.
I have a 19-year old with Asperger Syndrome. I don't have health insurance.
My son has Medicaid and I cannot seem to find a doctor that accepts his insurance. He has some health issues as well and we often go without treatment. Unfortunately, I work and cannot afford to take time off to come to the meeting. We basically live paycheck to paycheck.
April 15, 2009
The Moore Family
Kia Moore is the single parent of Xavier Hylton, age 20 months old, who was born with double kidney failure. At 8 days old he was admitted into the hospital where he stayed for 69 days. Currently Xavaier is on dialysis seven days a week, 16 hours a day. Practically since his birth, Kia has had major problems with insurance coverage and benefit coordination.
Kia's son has double private insurance from her job at American Express and from his father's job. Because he was born with full renal failure, he is automatically qualified for Medicare. However, when she tried to get Medicare benefits for her son in Camden County, no one seemed to have heard of a child being in full renal failure at the time of birth and kept asking her questions about whether or not he could work — and he was only 7 days old!
April 15, 2009
Mary Ann E.
My oldest daughter Bridge became ill at seven months of age. As a result, she is a quadriplegic. For the first few years after getting ill she spent time in and out of hospitals. Over the last six years, Bridget has participated in Early Intervention, Preschool Disabled, and currently her local public school. She continues to have significant health needs and requires ongoing skilled care.... She has participated in every available therapeutic intervention, including some clinical trials on major rehabilitation facilities.... Canine Companions have provided Bridge with a service dog.
Bridget is the second of four children, and until Bridget became ill both of us (her parents) were working full time. Bridget's significant health needs have necessitated that one of us remain home and be available to her. We have had to make significant adjustments based on her level of need.
April 15, 2009
The Grejda Family, Riverdale NJ
Maria and Dave Grejda live in Riverdale in Morris County. They have four children, the oldest of whom are twin boys, Kyle and Justin, born 1/1/99, who were born with extreme prematurity and many severe health problems.
After discharge from a NICU at Children's Specialized Hospital, Kyle was on a state waiver program for private duty nursing care because he had a tracheotomy and ventilator. They each required early intervention and extensive rehabilitation and saw numerous medical specialists. They required pre-school disabled education in an out of district placement and have returned to their school district for elementary special education services.
Their father was recently laid off from his job and the family pays over $1,100.00 per month for COBRA. They don't dare give it up due to health care needs. Kyle had extensive orthopedic surgery in Minnesota last year and is returning for additional surgery this year. Justin also had surgery. The family has two applications pending with the NJ Catastrophic Illness Relief Fund in Children but expended many funds out of their own pocket and borrowed from family members.
April 15, 2009
Nicole H.
When you plan a family, nobody ever expects to have a baby that would end up with 15 specialists at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) or any hospital — but that is my reality. My nine-year-old boy has been through more than most of us goes through in a lifetime. He is a fighter & I thank God for him, but my experience with the healthcare system has been torturous at times.
April 15, 2009
Jessica K.
I speak with families on a daily basis on many different issues. Many of the issues involve our healthcare system. Just last week I was in our lobby and a mother was sitting there crying. I approached her and asked her if she was okay.
She broke down sobbing horribly to me and said that her second child who was diagnosed with Autism has been denied for speech therapy by their insurance companies.
WHY???? Why are these children being denied???
April 15, 2009
Mary K.
My sister is a young widow with two young children. She lost her husband at the age of 39 to cancer. They were not eligible for insurance through Kenny's company once the COBRA had expired. She is currently working as a consultant and is not eligible for health benefits through her employment.
I have tried to get her benefits through but have been faced with many legal issues. The cost for private insurance for herself and her 2 kids is more than $800 a month and it is becoming more and more challenging for her to find a way to make the payment. She had not been eligible for NJ Child Health insurance in the past and began paying for private insurance. She would be eligible for health insurance under the new pay scale guidelines, however, she was told that she would need to drop her insurance and be without health insurance for six months in order to qualify.
This is not a realistic expectation for a single woman with two small children. The thought of being uninsured is scary to someone who already knows the hardship of tragedy.
The fact that I have not been able to help my sister who is living on a very modest income saddens me. I know her story personally and am sure that there are many other families in the same position that she is in.
April 15, 2009
The Micheletti Family, Hunterdon County NJ
The Micheletti family lives in Milford, NJ in Hunterdon County. They had to fight all the way to the appellate court to get medically necessary treatment for their son Jake.
On January 17, 2007, two separate decisions by the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey reversed decisions by the State Health Benefits Commission (SHBC). In those earlier decisions, the SHBC had declined coverage for Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Physical Therapy for their two children with autism.
April 15, 2009
Barbara N.
I received information that you are looking for families that can tell their thoughts and concerns about healthcare. In March, 2007, my son was born with multiple medical problems. Zachary has a tracheostomy, a feeding tube, and is on a ventilator at night. He receives 16 hours of nursing per day. Zachary actually has 2 private insurance companies.
My most recent experience was 2 days ago when I was called at work and told that his nursing benefits would be decreasing to 12 hours and I had less than 24 hours to make other arrangements. I was also told by this insurance company that I should not be working and that I needed to apply for Medicaid for my son. I also have a 9 year old daughter who is hearing impaired and has an auto immune disease (vitaligo) and I can't get equipment to treat the skin condition because they consider the treatment cosmetic.
I have so many other experiences also especially since I am dealing with two different insurance companies and trying to coordinate benefits.
April 15, 2009
Adam P.
My wife, Amy, and I realized our son Benjamin was autistic last summer, and he was officially diagnosed shortly thereafter...Over the next nine months, we confronted the usual emotional hurdles of fear, anguish, sadness, and then total resolution to help our son. We worked tirelessly to research, make doctors' appointments, arrange therapies, and act quickly as though Ben had a traditional "life threatening" illness...We wanted to objectively try methods with little downside that may help Ben, and if they did, then we'd continue them.
So far, many of the traditional OT and speech therapies that are recommended for autistic children have indeed helped. I see it everyday. He's improved dramatically. Like so many, we have found that financing an autistic child is a challenging and emotionally draining process. Most of the therapies that help our son are not covered by insurance, and in our case the cost has been over $13,000, and will certainly increase annually. We've had to make a few sacrifices, but are able to get by. Yet, I'm sure there are many in this economy that cannot.
My hope over the coming years is twofold. First, that there will be greater research, awareness and understanding. With this understanding will then come the realization that many families with Autistic children won't be able to provide what these kids need due to this financial hardship. My hope is that government officials such as Senator Menendez, advocacy groups, and most importantly, parents, can all work together to help.
April 15, 2009
Allison T.
We are a family of five struggling on one income to survive. We have three children diagnosed on the autism spectrum. All three of our children have private insurance through my husband's job and the three children receive Medicaid through social security insurance. We continue to have many trials and tribulations with getting appropriate coverage for the services my children need. I would like to share our stories with Senator Menendez so that he can know the importance of public health insurance and the loop holes that Medicaid currently has in provided needed coverage.
The worse part of our private health insurance is that we have a $1500 deductible that we need to meet before the insurance will pay 80% of what therapy costs, and they only cover 26 visits per year.
April 15, 2009
Lorena G., New Brunswick NJ
I have been having an on-going problem with my health insurance provider, Aetna. My difficulty stems from a contracted third-party working for Aetna called Orthonet of New York. Orthonet has been negligent in submitting the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for my approved physical therapy claims with Sports Physical Therapy Institute (Somerset, NJ) between July — August 2008.
The difficulty also stems from the fact that last year Aetna added another third party billing service to my insurance called Direct Pay.
April 8, 2009
Claire J., Red Bank NJ
My husband is about to go on Medicare and for the past 6 months we have reviewed all plans available and even though we both have college degrees we are not able to make an informed choice of which plan to choose.
What would you tell your mother to do? Which insurance is the best for us old folks?
March 16, 2009
Jack Z., Freehold Township NJ
My wife and I, residents of Freehold Township and both under the age of 65, are retired from our respective jobs as a State employee and public educator. Unfortunately, we didn't work enough years to earn health benefits, so now we are paying, under Cobra-elect, $1,068 per month for benefits.
We don't go to doctors often (knock on wood!), so we would be perfectly happy to pay a portion of that sum just to get catastrophic insurance and pay regular doctor's visits and prescriptions out of pocket.
March 5, 2009
Michael D., Marlboro NJ
After suffering from Angina, I had a Thalium Stress test that indicated there was a severe blockage. My doctor brought me in for a Cardiac Catheter.
During the procedure he found three blocked arteries, and one was at 95%. He had a stent inserted in that artery.
He requested that I come in within 4 weeks for another stress test to determine how the stent was doing, and to see if the opening of the artery provided me with sufficient blood flow.
The insurance company (Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ) denied coverage for the stress test. Apparently it is not important that I find out if the one stent implanted was sufficient to keep my heart supplied with blood.
What is apparently more important is that they don't spend any more money on my health problem.
January 5, 2009
Marilyn Q., Thorofare NJ
I am 61 and work full-time with good health insurance coverage from my employer, due to a very good union. However, I am concerned about my daughter, who works in New York State.
She is planning to continue working 4 days a week and do some studying in order to be certified to do something in addition to what she already does. She is a massage therapist 4 days a week and hopes to either become certified also in yoga instruction or begin study in a related field.
She has had no health coverage for the last 6 years.
December 5, 2008
Dianna H.
Unfortunately my mother-in-law passed away 2 weeks ago. She had been ill for over a year and the 6 hour round trips to Bernardsville, NJ were difficult. Helen was 94 and was blessed with enough money for her end of life care to be given in her own home, most of us are not.
Unfortunately, I learned even more about our lovely healthcare system. I was totally shocked, and I have 40 years in the business!
October 16, 2008
Jason W.
To All That Fight for Healthcare Coverage We Deserve:
Thank you for creating a venue for the public to fight our embarrassing healthcare system as we know it. I will attempt to be as brief as possible but it is extremely difficult.
Initially my sister-in-law was rushed to RWJH on January 18th of 2007 for a seizure and had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. My wife, while sitting on her sister's bed during recovery from brain surgery, went into a Grand-Mal seizure while 29 weeks pregnant.
October 10, 2008
Jodi G., Montclair NJ
As a single working mother of 2 young children, I want to stay healthy. Despite my commitment to having health insurance coverage, as a freelance writer in the state of NJ, my options are limited to 2 companies whose plans are minimal and wholly inadequate. I cannot gain coverage through my professional associations and I'm not covered during my first year on this new plan for preexisting conditions, which at age 49, are the usual reasons to see my physician. And, even when I saw my physician — also a limited choice — with concerns about new symptoms, my problem was labeled as "pre-existing" by my insurer, which means fighting an uphill battle for reimbursement. It makes me wonder what I'm paying for...and yet, without it, I would be even more fearful of the "what if". I can't get the preventive care or treatment I would like nor can I see the physician of my choice. Yet, I must pay a premium every month, and can only hope. I'd sure like a more reliable plan that assures reasonable and adequate coverage and care provided by a physician of my choice.
September 26, 2008
Loren G.
My husband, who became disabled 10 years ago and was covered by his company med/dental until the end of '07, had his benefits terminated. He is now covered by Medicare (though much less adequately than before) leaving our children and me without coverage. I had to find AFFORDABLE coverage for the 3 of us and the only coverage that I could find that I could afford is really good only if there is no catastrophic illness or problem. It will only cover $250.00/day in a hospital, no brand name prescription coverage, no preventive care coverage, and this will cost over $500.00/month. My husband had to add on a Medicare prescription plan for his meds, and that will cost us hundreds of dollars each month for the copays alone. While we have coverage, I am fully aware at how inadequate our coverage is now and how unaffordable insurance is for a family. To go on COBRA would cost my $1,500/month for medical and dental benefits. I totally agree that we need universal health coverage, and take some of the power away from the private companies.
September 26, 2008