We deserve equal shot at health care

I support the right for all people to have choice. We should be able to choose whether we want to keep our private coverage, to choose another private plan, or to choose an affordable, quality public health insurance plan.

Our family has great insurance coverage. It costs us, but it is great coverage. I am thankful for it every day. A year ago, I was lying in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant. I'm coming up on my transplant birthday and am grateful every day for my donor and donor family and the incredible skills of the doctors and staff of University of Chicago hospital. Even with our great insurance coverage, I owe the hospital thousands of dollars. And now, on top of it all, I am nearing my lifetime benefit limit; then no more insurance.

You may think that you have great insurance, I pray you don't have to find out. We need the public option to force the insurance companies to be realistically competitive (this will lower premiums). We need to limit the outrageous cost of medication (which will lower insurance premiums). I take over $7,000 (retail) worth of anti-rejection medication every month until I die. How can a pill be worth $160?

Enough is enough. We need the public option so that hospitals can stop overcharging to cover for the losses incurred by treating the uninsured. Please think hard about this issue and educate yourself on the issues. Don't let others or the media form your opinion; take the time to do the necessary due diligence to form your own. We have the best health care in the world, every American deserves an equal shot at receiving it.

Tim Fraas

Elgin