Priscilla and Bernie King, Bow

Bernie and Priscilla King were delighted to fulfill their retirement dream of living on a lake in New Hampshire. But a bout of bad health caused them to use up their cash reserve. They moved into a retirement center in Bow, where health care costs continue to plague them to the tune of $600 a month. Between insurance and prescriptions, the Kings are left with $87 a week for food, car maintenance, clothes, church and gifts for their grandchildren – the latter which they haven’t been able to afford for quite a while. Now, their rent is going up by $25 and the couple can’t figure out how to make the money stretch … and so they’re moving again. Priscilla shares her health care story and walks you through their monthly budget here.

Wendy Wass, Derry

Wendy Wass was only 20 years old when she had a partial mastectomy. She would only have a few short years of recovery before being diagnosed with colon rectum cancer as well, a disease that would keep her in the hospital for three years. She walked out of the hospital weighing 76 pounds and carrying the weight of $250,000 in outstanding medical bills for hospital costs alone – after her insurance cut her off.

After years of working double jobs and still struggling to gain hold of her health, Wendy made the difficult decision to file for medical bankruptcy. Read and view the Derry resident’s health care story.

Marcia Currier, Londonderry

“What about savings, you ask? Well, that’s just a joke.”

So says Marcia Currier of Londonderry when explaining her monthly budgeting. Marcia and her husband have watched the cost of living rise faster than their income, with health care costs topping the list. Not long ago, they had family coverage at 80/20 payout, which included dental. As Marcia put it, “Oh, those were the golden years as far as our health care was concerned.” Now, the couple cycles through health care plans and make do with watching their diets. In the meantime, they’re calling on candidates to make health care a real priority, not just a popular campaign theme.

Barry and Lynn Goldman, Windham

Small business owners Barry and Lynn Goldman both had health care coverage until their insurance company started to squeeze out small businesses by continually increasing premiums. Months of searching for another health care plan made the Goldmans realize that the squeeze was systematic and industry-wide. So now the small business team can only afford health care coverage for one of them. And the winner is …

Jerry and Kathleen Deschamps, Concord

When Concord resident Jerry Deschamps left his job to become a full-time caregiver for his wife Kathleen, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis chronic progressive, he took out his pension to provide them with a nest egg. Soon after, he was contacted by the state and told to spend down the modest savings or face losing health care assistance for Kathleen’s debilitating illness. “We were forced into substandard living,” says Jerry. That’s only one of the times self-destructive health care system guidelines have kept the Deschamps from holding employment to contribute to health care costs or financially preparing for Jerry’s senior years. Read and view Jerry and Kathleen’s health care story.

Gary Dozier, Hampton Falls

When Hampton Falls resident Gary Dozier took out health insurance for catastrophic illness, he didn’t know his wife would soon be diagnosed with grade 1, stage 1 uterine cancer. Now, Gary is not the only one in the know – so are the insurance companies. And since there are pre-condition clauses that preclude other insurance companies from having to cover the cancer for at least five years, Gary can’t change his wife’s insurance coverage even if they find a better health care plan. Read and view Gary’s health care story.