Organizing for America | Faces of Health Insurance Reform

Your personal stories are the most powerful call for change. When the lobbyists for the status quo tell Congress to hold back, your personal story will give them the courage to press forward.


	Kristen and Adam Minneapolis, MN Kristen knew her family's genetic history meant she had a 50/50 chance of having a treatable condition called polycystic kidneys, and she did everything right: getting screened when she turned 30 and watching her health. She found out that she did have the condition, but that she won't need treatment until much later in life. Even though she's fine now, she can't get an individual health insurance plan because the insurance industry treats polycystic kidneys as a pre-existing condition. She'd like to start a family with her husband Adam, but as he says, "Our life is put on hold until we can get health insurance."

	Kristine Muskego, WI Kristine's husband and his business partner own a small machine shop in Milwaukee that their fathers started nearly 60 years ago. The company has traditionally been able to provide its employees with single and family health insurance. But rising costs have made it increasingly difficult, and they've had to modify the coverage they can provide. As Kristine says, her "story is certainly not a tragic one, just a typical one, of the problems faced by small business owners in this country."

	Lisa Lake Worth, FL Lisa has hydrocephalus, or "water on the brain," and several other health ailments that require regular monitoring and care. Like millions of Americans, when Lisa lost her job, she also lost her health insurance. She couldn't afford COBRA, but when she called around to inquire about coverage from private insurers she was denied. "As soon as I told them about my situation," Lisa says, "they said 'forget it;' they absolutely wouldn't even go any further."

	Cesar Silver Spring, MD Cesar was born and raised in Arvin, California, a small town in the Central Valley. He shares his mother Martha's story with us. She came to the United States from Mexico and has worked for nearly 40 years. Martha instilled in her eight children the dignity and value of hard work, sometimes holding down two jobs at once to support her family. Martha is one of the 46 million people in this country without health insurance.

	Cathy Apple Valley, MN A single mother of two, Cathy went back to school to earn her teacher's license and has worked for the past three years as a special education and early childhood education teacher. When her school system was hit with budget cuts earlier this month, Cathy lost her job, along with her health insurance.

	Russ Alexandria, VA Like many Americans, when Russell lost his job, he also lost his healthcare. Unable to afford a COBRA plan that would allow him to keep his coverage, Russell couldn't pay the high cost of the medicines he uses to treat his diabetes, and had to turn to his church for help. Even though he works seven days a week, he's been working with Organizing for America to reform health insurance. As he says, "It's not a problem of a doctor and a patient relationship, it's the patient and the insurance company."