On the recordMarch 21, 2010
I want to tell you what I hear from my home State of Maine where people are frustrated and struggling. A woman named Margaret told me about her small business. She said, ``I own a small business that employs 10 Maine residents. Anthem has announced a 23 percent increase in my rates. In 4 years, rates with Anthem have almost doubled. I cannot afford to provide health insurance for my employees.'' A man named Mark told me about his latest letter from the insurance company. ``My wife has been paying more than one-third of our entire income for her health insurance and that doesn't cover the high copays and prescription drug costs. She just received notice from her insurance company that they are raising her rates another 30 percent. It's impossible. We can't do it.'' And Ron told me about living on the edge. He said, ``I was out of work and lost my insurance, for 18 months. I am a cardiac patient and have other chronic illnesses that require constant care and constant prescription drugs. After 18 months with no insurance, I lost everything.''
