This florist looks forward to a rosier future in health care costs.
Dennis runs a small business, Geier Florist, in West Peoria. In 2005 his wife Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer for which she received surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. At that time the couple’s annual deductible was $5,000 and their monthly premium $250. However, [...]

Steve, a career coach, discusses the many pitfalls of qualifying for and affording good health insurance.
I often see people who are in soul-killing, corporate jobs, who’d love to start their own business, but they don’t dare because they have a child or spouse with medical issues, and they fear medical expenses would bankrupt them. If [...]

A family describes the trials of battling their son’s cystic fibrosis – the costs, emotional stress and life changing events.
The Swanson-Mandigo family’s youngest son Josh, age 20, lives with cystic fibrosis, a chronic disease affecting the lungs.  Several times a year he received IV antibiotics to treat his illness.  These periodic injections, coupled with [...]

For Garry Apelian, family business owner of Apelian Rug, health care reform represents progress and hope. “You can’t rationalize not doing it anymore, even economically” says Garry.  Apelian Rug offers insurance to its seven employees, but their premiums increase by 20-30% each year.  Absorbing these cost increases is hard for both [...]

Kathleen tells the story of her younger brother’s struggle to get the treatment he needed.
My name is Kathleen Loepker. I would like to introduce you to my brother, Dale Robert Loepker.  Our health care system allowed Dale to die on September 28th, 2004.  As a home care worker, he did not have insurance, and it [...]