PLATFORM : Selling Us Short

My husband was hospitalized for heart trouble for 2 1/2 months (in 1988). We had a medical bill of $230,000, and after two years, Medi-Cal agreed to pay a portion of the cost because my husband had been disabled by that condition.

However, if there is another incident of catastrophic illness in my family, we would lose our home and be put out on the street. The health-care crisis is snowballing, and people want change.

Subsidized (medical) coverage for everyone could be financed by the people. I don’t think employers should have to foot the bill for full medical coverage for employees because the costs could break small businesses. Instead, everyone should be taxed the same percentage to finance subsidized coverage.

Our government is selling us short. Here is the United States--prestigious and powerful--and we leave many of our people exposed and without adequate coverage.