Full Transcript of Pelosi Press Conference on Health C...(ke sure -- make our tough decisions -- m...),Health

I have had epilepsy since I was 5 years old. It's really important that I have access to group health insurance because otherwise it becomes a pre-existing condition. I did have coverage through Joe's job, though when he lost his job last year, we found that due to the small size of his company, the only option I had was to continue coverage through a conversion policy. The price quoted was $2,400 a month. It was, you know, shocking.

Joe found an individual policy, but has had to raise the annual deductible from $2,500 to $5,000 just recently just to afford the rising premiums. After being denied coverage by three companies, I became uninsured on May 1, 2008. Since then, I've had to postpone some of my annual exams and opt against trying new and potentially more effective epilepsy medication, and also seek charity care from others to just maintain my current health status.

I have to say my medication was $900 a month, which -- well, that's another shocking fact. But anyway, the health care -- this health care reform bill will help us by getting rid of exclusions based on pre-existing conditions. It will set up an exchange where we can easily shop and compare plans and setting standard benefit options to plug holes in coverage that could leave us paying tens of thousands of dollars if we get sick.

This bill gives us a reliable option for coverage in the form of a public plan for health insurance companies -- if private health insurance companies fail to meet our needs as they have so far. Joe and I are average Americans. We have worked hard all our lives, and never thought that we would end up in this situation.

We hope that you will do everything that you can to protect people like us and all Americans fro
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