Political Quotes

“I know when all of my colleagues go home, they hear stories from their constituents about our broken health care system. That certainly is what I hear. I hear it in my townhalls. I hear it on the street, as people stop me and share their story. And I certainly hear it in my mail. I have in my hand a few of the stories citizens in Oregon have sent to me. To give you a sense of the type of frustration we are hearing, Don writes: Last year my premium went up 65 percent even though I've made no significant claims against my policy. Or we can turn to Jane, who says: . . . we are subject to being turned down for health insurance [because] I have a chronic illness. . . . Or we can turn to Adrienne, who observes: The medical debt was crushing, and we were forced to file for bankruptcy. Or we can turn to Amanda, who says: My daughter cut her finger. I took her to emergency, the hospital is a network provider. The ER Physician said she needed surgery. Okay, what do I know, they are the experts. It turns out that the Surgeon is not a network provider. She bills [me] over $9,000.00. . . . . . . I have little hope. Do I file [for] bankruptcy? Or we can turn to Art, who says: In less than 5 years, I had to change my health insurance 5 times. It was never a matter of choice; I simply had to take whatever plan my employer decided to offer.”