[Betty]

We've had health insurance through my husbands employer for 15 years. He's now on disability and since his office is less then what's required for the FMLA, they are under no obligation to continue his health coverage.

My office doesn't have at least 80% of employees willing to sign up. Large percentage of employees are low waged factory workers and just won't sign up. So, it's not available through my employer.

We now qualify for COBRA and with my husband not working and required to continue his medical coverage to remain on disability, we have no choice but to pay for COBRA coverage at about $600 per month or pay substantially more for doctor's visits (that are required for him to continue receiving benefits). We could also sign up for private health insurance.

Friends of mine, who work for the same place I do, pay for their own health insurance and pay, nearly $1000 a month for it.

So, we pay $600 a month - or will anyway.

That won't last forever.

Not having health insurance is not something I want but may be what we get because we just can't afford the $600 a month let alone the $1000. We'll be able to keep it up for a little while but for how long? And then what?

What the heck do I do if I have no health insurance and one of my kids get sick? And let's just hope that's it's not something serious that would require any sort of long term care or hospital stay. That scares me to death.

Why do I suddenly feel like some lower class citizen not deemed worthy enough for health care?