Five months after graduating with three degrees at the age of 28, Ray's daughter Melissa was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and became an invalid. Listen to him talk about the hurdles his daughter has had to navigate in order to get adequate medical coverage in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
"They need to do away with the 24-month waiting period on Medicare. They need to do away with pre-existing conditions," says Ray.
Bossier City small business owner Mecheall Williams and seven other small business owners took their stories of exorbitant health insurance costs to Chicago in November.
Williams wants a health care option that will provide adequate coverage, including pre-existing conditions, at reasonable rates. A government option also could act as a way to check and balance private insurance companies, he said.
Williams and others gathered at the Downtown Renaissance Hotel in Chicago, while hundreds more rallied outside the hotel.
The plan was to confront Karen Ignagi, head of America's Health Insurance Plans. The health insurance lobby was having its annual fall forum conference at the hotel.
The business owners had written a letter to Ignagi asking for a face-to-face meeting so they could tell her how the high cost of health insurance has hurt their businesses.
Even though Ignagi did not meet with them, they told their stories anyway.
Williams, who owns a Wing Zone restaurant at 2119 Airline Drive in Bossier City and a Subway in Oakdale, said he lost an employee because he was unable to provide coverage.
"It makes it hard to expand and grow," said Williams, who was born and reared in Shreveport but now calls Bossier City his home. "I can't afford insurance and decent wages."
In the letter to Ignagi, Williams and his fellow small business owners wrote that growing costs for health care have put them at a crossroads. Instead of reinvesting profits into their businesses, they must choose between keeping health care and keeping employees.
"We know a majority of small business owners want to provide health coverage for their employees, but they simply cannot afford the skyrocketing costs of health insurance plans available to them on the market today, said Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America Now.
Gambit hits the streets to interview people on Health Care Reform
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
BY KATIE VAN SYCKLE; Photos by Jess Pinkham
While Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid pushes health care legislation through Washington, Gambit hit the streets to take the pulse of people's experience with the issue in New Orleans. We surveyed 100 New Orleanians at local grocery stores and asked if they are insured, who provides their insurance or why they are not insured, how much they pay per month for health care, what they need in a health care plan, if their needs are being met and whether they support health care reform.
We were stationed at five different grocery stores across New Orleans, each reflecting different urban demographics. These locations were Whole Foods Market on Magazine Street (Uptown), Save-A-Lot on Franklin Avenue (9th Ward), Langenstein's on Arabella Street (Uptown), Zara's Market on Prytania Street (Lower Garden District) and Rouses Market (Mid-City).
From Lakeshore…. I am a fortunate American. I have a good job that offers me quality healthcare. But my son, a professional cook, even though he works hard has no health insurance. I have seen him so sick at times but he will not go to a doctor because his salary is low and he has no savings. I have been praying for a National Health Program. Being a Mother and seeing your kids go without, no matter what their age is heartbreaking.
I have health insurance with my job which my employer pays I don't go to the doctor unless I'm really sick because of the cost my husband is on medicare and I've still paid thousands of dollars I had to put a second loan on my house to pay his doctors and hospital which I paid it was a real struggle.
…stories about the need for affordable health care are rolling in from across Louisiana!Read some of the stories from Monroe and then check out what folks are saying in your part of the state:
Our coalition stands by a strong set of principles for health care reform. Our principles provide a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all.
