Affordable Health Care

In response to “After We Had Lost Everything, We Qualified for Help,” Opinion, Aug. 2:

I sympathize with Mary Holle Freeland. I too fall in the cracks. I am also classified as one of the “middle class.” I became very ill last year, and after 11 days in the hospital, including five days in the intensive care unit, I owed a bill of just over $24,000. The three doctors who took care of me totaled another $9,000.

I don’t begrudge the hospital or the doctors their money--they did save my life. What I am angry about is that because 17 years ago I had open heart surgery for a mitral valve defect, it would cost me $600 a month for health insurance that also had a $5,000 deductible on it. My husband has Blue Cross for $106 per month with a $2,000 deductible. My husband and I are by nature of our jobs independent contractors, and the only insurance is what we provide for ourselves. Needless to say, I am not covered. I can’t afford $600 per month--can you?

Even if we do get a national health care system in place, I think we still would not be covered because of the emphasis on employers doing so much toward the effort. I’m not old enough for Medicare.

We’re just waiting to see what happens next to people like us.

MARY ANN CLOER

Lake Elsinore