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The issue most important to me this election year, is healthcare.  It is the number one reason I am a Hillary Clinton supporter.  I work in a hospital and have also been a patient, and folks, every single American needs to have healthcare.  I work just under full-time so would have to pay expensive premiums to have work-sponsored health care.  If I was full-time, these premiums would of course be paid by the company.  So how many full-time employees do you suppose there are?  Not many.  Those who do have those coveted positions stay put for long years.  The hospital will work me full-time hours and more, but without official full-time status, then the premiums cost reverts to me, and I simply cannot afford the 250 dollars extra a month for this insurance coverage.  I know others in this same boat.  My daughter has coverage through CHIPS because I make just under the cut-off level for qualifying for this coverage (thank Goodness).  Both my partner and I do not have any health insurance and we are in our 40s when this coverage is especially needed!  On the patient accounts side of things, people get denied on their claims when they DO have coverage for the most outrageous reasons.  The number one thing is the 12 to 18 month pre-existing coverage clause.  THIS HAS TO BE ELIMINATED.  You are basically paying for coverage for a year or more but cannot access it due to this clause.  (do not let more than 63 days lapse between insurance coverage or this will be enforced!)  The insurance companies do not like to pay and entire patient account departments are set up to fight these people and get legitimate claims paid.  Good hard working Americans choose not to see providers for preventive/diagnostic health care due to cost and this IS NOT RIGHT!  They (like myself) wait until a crisis and then wade through a myriad of paperwork for any financial assistance available (thank goodnes for my employee discounts) or struggle to make payments for months on end.  Insurance companies profit off the backs of working folks and in a country like America this is unacceptable to me.  We need to bring back unions to hold companies accountable for overworking their employees without benefits.  It is especially disgusting as an employee of a HOSPITAL.  I hope to get their health insurance one day, or be in a position to afford the premiums, but even after premiums are paid, there's the deductible, co-insurance, lifetime limits, etc.  What are we paying these people for anyway?!?  I truly believe Hillary has a sound plan so that hospitals don't have to eat 65% of a Medicaire bill, so that they don't have to eat 70% of a Medicaid bill (boy is Medicaid the best insurance, or what).  So that all Americans have access to health care without hassles.  Without choosing between groceries or an x-ray.  This doesn't even encompass the Pharmaceutical industry or prescription drug cost.  This issue occurs before a patient can even see a doctor FOR a prescription!  I hope whoever is elected president addresses this issue.

Thanks for listening.