Hi, my name is Janna and I live in Buffalo.  I went without healthcare for 4 years because I wasn’t able to afford it.  Regular check ups, testing, prescription medicine, dental care, and chiropractic care were all out of reach.  I am female and have a pre-existing condition. Before the ACA I tried to get insurance but it cost $1200 a month, too expensive for my income.  The insurance premium and all the add on costs like deductibles, co-pays, and the out-of-pocket costs were unaffordable. I stayed at a low paying job for 5 years just for the insurance.

My mother also had to avoid medical care and died at just 54 of congestive heart failure.  Paying for her medical bills forced us to have our gas and electricity shut off and we almost lost our house.  I’m currently self-employed and paying full price for health insurance. Premiums keep going up every year.

I think that everyone in New York should be able to get the healthcare that they need, but the human right to healthcare is not protected in New York.  I feel like I have a say in our healthcare system and that healthcare should be funded through our taxes. I support the New York Health Act, which can supply healthcare to all New Yorkers.  We shouldn’t have to go without medical care or risk our homes to pay for healthcare.