Tell Us Your Story
The Families USA Consumer Story Bank

To learn more about our story bank, or if you would like to distribute hard copies of our Tell Us Your Story form to local consumers, advocates, and health care professionals, please download this story bank brochure. We appreciate your support in helping us collect these valuable personal health care stories.

For many years, Families USA has maintained a database that documents hundreds of health care hardship stories. Stories about the experiences of real people help make difficult and often complex policy issues understandable to a broader group. Reporters and policy makers find the stories useful to better illustrate the everyday struggles that Americans face concerning their health care. We obtain permission from each consumer before releasing his or her story. Go to form.

Here are just a few examples of the kinds of stories we're collecting right now:

• Stories about Health Care and the Economy: Have your medical bills forced you into bankruptcy or foreclosure? Have you lost your health insurance because of the economic downturn? Are you having trouble purchasing coverage, paying for medications, visiting doctors, or getting the care you need because of the economic situation?
• Stories about Uninsured Adults: Are you uninsured because of a pre-existing condition, unaffordable premiums, or any other reason? Has your lack of insurance caused you to delay or cut back on care for a serious illness?
• Stories about Children's Health Insurance: Do you have or know any uninsured children? Do you have children or know children who have benefited from the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)?
• Stories about Medicare Part D and the Doughnut Hole: Are you having difficulty enrolling in Medicare Part D, are confused by the program, have fallen into the coverage gap known as the "doughnut hole," or have enrolled in a plan that is not working for you?
• Stories about the Private Insurance Market: Do you have private insurance but still struggle to pay your premiums, copayments, and/or deductibles? Do you have private insurance but your insurance company will not cover the care that your doctor says you need? Were you dropped from your insurance for any reason? Has the failing economy affected your health care decisions?
• Stories about High-Risk Pools: If your state has a high-risk pool (a group plan that will provide coverage for many consumers who are denied other types of coverage): Are the premiums too costly? Having trouble getting into the pool? Is the coverage inadequate?
• Other Stories: Have you had an experience that illustrates the need for better, more comprehensive, and more affordable health coverage?
  

Share your story! Fill out the form below. Your story can make a difference.