My husband has had juvenile diabetes since he was 11 years old. Today he is 63 and in remarkably good health considering. His doctor in the US was at one of the best diabetes centers in the US, the Jocelyn Clinic. But since we moved to Sweden over 20 years l ago and following Swedish treatment for diabetics, my husband's blood sugar levels are substantially lower and more consistent over the short and long term which significantly improves his health while reducing the risk for terrible long term damage that so many diabetics in the US suffer from. As part of the normal healthcare regime, he also has regular checkups with a nurse who specializes in diabetes foot care - this is an excellent preventive measure as well as providing care if problems arise. Note that foot problems in diabetics are potentially dangerous and if left unattended can lead to amputation. His insulin, blood testing equipment and other diabetes care supplies are provided as part of the health system. This excellent care - all part of the public healthcare system - enables him to lead an active, full life as well as pursue a career in teaching.

I am an American living abroad in Germany. As the mother of 3, I will attest to the total freedom and security that comes with free healthcare. All of my children have had incredible luck with their health, there has been no terrible scare to contend with. But day to day, with allergies here and a broken bone there, we have always had the ease to go to any hospital or specialist as needed. My own health care has also been exceptional. I am 55 and from the beginning of my life in Munich to now I have never once not been able to get the care I 've needed. From broken bones (motorcycle accident), help with fertility, care and constant monitoring during difficult pregnancies, extra care for preemies (including a midwife that came to our home), all types of cancer screenings, paying for all doctors bills for chronic pain from Rheumatism, all dental, ... Well, I can go on. I will gladly continue to express my gratitude towards the German goverment's handling of our healthcare . All the while knowing that we are not exceptional, we are proudly one family of many that is secure in our healthcare needs within this country. I will gladly yell from any platform that Universal Healthcare is a right and not a privilege. We Americans Abroad here in Germany are proof of that .

I have a history of very early preterm labor. With an injection from 16 to 36 weeks, that risk of early labor and premature birth is minimized. When I was in the US a few years ago, this drug cost $1,500 per shot (so $30,000, before insurance). It was a big deal for me to find insurance that would cover it, and it involved possibly moving states--in the middle of a high-risk pregnancy. The same drug here in Ireland...I walked out of the pharmacy with all 20 doses for about $80. This drug helped me reach full term for two pregnancies. I hate to think about the parents in the US facing another NICU stay or loss of a child because this drug is prohibitively expensive. (It used to cost $10/dose in the US before the drug company hiked the price a few years ago.)

I moved to Canada from Pennsylvania in 2000. My wife is Canadian, and one of the main reasons we decided to live in Canada was the health care system. She was petrified at the horror stories she saw about health care bills. In 2005, I was a permanent resident, not yet a citizen, and I was diagnosed with Leukemia. If you've ever seen the joke about what Breaking Bad in Canada would be like, ("Mr White, you have cancer. Treatment starts next week." End credits.) that was my exact situation. I was diagnosed on a Friday, and chemo started the following Monday. I went through 4 rounds of chemo, spent 28 days inpatient, had numerous ER visits, and went through a course of extremely expensive medication to treat fungal pneumonia. All of this was FREE. The treatment I received was both immediate and impeccable. Without universal health care, I'd be dead, or bankrupt. I certainly wouldn't be able to afford a home, or enjoy the life I fought cancer for.

Hello, I am an American living in Germany for the last 25 years. Although I was warned that each person living here must be insured, I was falsely advised to go with private insurance. For years I over paid for insurance until a German told me about the advantages of public health insurance. I am a singer and therefore am eligible for a special public insurance for free lance artist. Though I got in just before the cut off age,(55), I am now paying half of what I paid before, and this includes the payment of Social Security! As I get older, it becomes more and more important to pay into a system that I can afford! My older brothers and sisters still living in the US have horrible healthcare stories about outrageous healthcare charges!

Last year I tore my ACL skiing in New Zealand while there on a working holiday visa. After a trip to the physio I learned about ACC; a program that provides healthcare coverage to everyone within the boundaries of New Zealand if they are injured in any type of accident. At the time I was 25 and had just lost my American health insurance the month prior when my dad lost his job. So my options were to stay in NZ and have knee surgery done without having to pay anything out of pocket, or return to America for surgery and be in debt thousands of dollars. As a recent graduate I was not too keen on adding medical debt on top of my student loans. I was due to leave New Zealand in 10 days and had no intentions of staying but obviously I had to for the surgery. It took me a while to get over how insane it was that I couldn't return to my OWN COUNTRY to have surgery where I'd have my family to take care of me. Lucky for me I had an incredibly generous group of Kiwis who got me through this difficult situation, both physically and emotionally. -Kaylyn Hobelman

I moved to Hungary 4 years ago and my husband and I decided to sign up for the TAJ (Hungarian Health Care). We have paid an average of $200 per month each as we are required to pay into their social security system for the first five years. In 2018 our cost will be reduced to $40 per month as we will have our permanent residence cards then. There are no co-pays or deductibles. In January this year I broke my elbow when I slipped on some ice. We went to the emergency room as it was 13:00. I went it and was registered right away. I was seen, xrayed and casted in less than one hour. Everyone was professional and helpful and it didn't cost one dime more. I had numerous folliw up visits and, again I was not charged anything. In the US I would have waited for at least 3 to 6 hours and, with insurance, it would have cost me a minimum of $500 out of pocket costs. Before Obamacare I was hospitalized twice, once for a heart attack and once for a serious food poisoning. Both times a weeks stay in the hospital and doctor expenses cost me over $12k.

I experienced my entire pregnancy and birth in Spain. I used private insurance, but it's only 30 euro per month and 3 euro per appointment because it is subsidized. Other than that, absolutely everything has been free, from appointments with obstetricians and/or midwives at least once per month, an ultrasound offered at every appointment and a Tdap vaccine to labor, delivery and a 48-hour hospital stay. It would not have cost any more had there been complications during labor. My prenatal classes were free. My lactation consultations and baby massage courses are free. (Or, one could say I got all that for around 33 to 36 euro per month. Had I gone through the public system, it would have been totally free.) It felt strange just waltzing out of the office without stopping to pay after each appointment. My care was and is top-notch, and I'm so glad I was able to have my baby in Spain rather than in the US, which would have left me buried in debt. I have also visited two doctors, a nurse and two midwives in the public system, and have experienced minimal wait times and excellent, thorough care. Here they practice preventative medicine. Of course there are trade-offs. I pay more taxes. It takes longer to go for blood tests, and wait times for non-emergency surgeries are long. But I'd take the Spanish system over the US one, no contest.

Let's hear a round of applause for French medical care and socialized medicine. After my major surgery, my favorite husband bailed me out of the hospital for 26 euros and brought me home. For the currency-conversion challenged, that's less than $26 US dollars. The bill covered a private hospital room from Sunday afternoon to Thursday morning; five days of 24-hour nursing care, highly competent and genuinely kind; five days of 24-hour nurses' aids and orderlies, discrete and tactful; two surgeons, including bed-side visits before and after the surgery by both of them repeatedly to offer good humor and reassuring reports; one anesthetist; operating team nurses; operating room; recovery room; meals; medication; cleaning staff capable of discussing current events and world travel; sheets, towels, and so forth. Turns out that the 26 euros was for the phone and tv. Really. Everything else was covered by our excellent Secu, which apparently is still not run by the greedy and rapacious. And when I returned home, I was visited twice daily by registered nurses who checked on my progress toward recovery and offered nursing care.

In January, my 24 year old daughter had a very serious, unexpected stroke in NY. She was hospitalized in a local hospital where they were slow to diagnose and where she received no care. When, thanks to personal connections, she was transferred to a better hospital, she began to be treated with an unfortunate wait of over 24 hours. We arrived very quickly, and for the next 4 months, we were caught in a nightmare of insurance difficulties. This is despite the fact that she had a good job with good insurance. She was able to stay in acute rehab only a short period of time, despite her obvious need for more, because of insurance limitations. In the sub acute rehab, we were never clearly told whether she was being covered since the communication was only verbal between the facility and the insurance, and RETROACTIVELY we were told that they were supposedly not paying for 60 days of stay!! In addition, the doctors who saved her life have sent us huge bills that we cannot pay because they were out of network. This is all insane and caused us huge stress over the already enormous stress of this terrible event. When we got back to France as soon as was possible,she was immediately declared to have a major medical problem and thus covered by the government insurance at 100% (rather than the common 70%). She was hospitalized for another month, and is now being treated in a day hospital four days a week, in addition to having private therapy on the other days. All this is completely free. In addition, her transportation to and from the day hospital is provided free. In contrast, she would be completely out of benefits in the US if she had been obligated to stay. This situation of American lack of health care is absolutely inexcusable and needs to change.

As an American expat living in Australia I feel blessed that I can go to sleep every night knowing that my wife and I will never have to worry about not having health insurance. That’s right, whether we lose our jobs, go bankrupt or have pre-existing medical conditions - WE NEVER WORRY ABOUT NOT HAVING HEALTH INSURANCE! The reason is that we live in a country that has a universal single payer health care system that automatically covers everyone from the time they are born to the time they die – a country where something as basic as medical care is viewed as a right and not a privilege for those who can afford it. Sadly, this is still not the case back home where the cost of health insurance is often ruinous. For those not covered by employers, some go without, some go bankrupt and millions more struggle on the margins with inadequate coverage. Astoundingly, the cost of health insurance for a family of four in 2016 was $25,826 while the median family income was $56,516! By contrast, we in Australia pay a health care levy of 2% although if your income falls below a certain level you don’t pay at all. In addition, my wife and I pay an addition $4,000 a year for private health coverage that gives us a choice of doctors in hospitals and extras like private dental and physio. All totalled, it’s considerably less than the cost of health insurance in the US, but regardless of your financial situation you will always be covered for life. So from my vantage point living down under, I view the US privatised health cares system as totally crazy and inhumane. In fact, if you set out to devise the world’s worst possible health care system, I think the US would be your model.

I live in Germany. In early July, I finally had the operation. I say finally only because I had to schedule it around my work schedule (I'm a self-employed musician). But even the weeks and months leading up to the big day speak volumes to the type of care that most of the western world takes for granted. As an aside, I have to mention how I pay for health insurance (and retirement insurance/Social Security/Rentenversicherung, and long term care insurance/Pflegeversicherung). It is through KSK (Kunstlersozialkasse). It is an income-based fund for those that work in the arts or publishing. Joining the organization was the first thing I did on the way to my residency permits and without it those would have been difficult at best, but more like impossible, especially for someone self-employed. A couple of years ago, I had first spoken about a pain in my hip with my GP. X-rays showed that it was arthritis taking its toll. From that point, it was up to me to decide when to have the operation, based both on my level of discomfort/pain, and work schedule. The GP wrote a prescription for ibuprofen tablets (most prescriptions are cost free, I think this cost me €5 for a generous supply. Doctor visits have no co-pay. There is no deductible for most costs). Of course I was free to also choose where to have the operation. And also free to get second or fourth opinions. All covered without questions by insurance. After about 1 1/2 years of dealing with the worsening condition, I ended up visiting a doctor/surgeon recommended by a friend. He worked out of a hospital in a very nice tree-filled area of the city, away from the craziness. From then on things moved rather quickly; updated x-rays, a meeting with the anaesthesiologist, a meeting for blood work-up and screening (it turns out they found a routine infection that was eradicated via a megadose antibiotic). Another reason for comfort with this particular doctor/surgeon is because of the device that he championed. It is a combination titanium and ceramic device, requiring no cement. The latter is better because in my case, I’m a bit young for the operation and it may have to be done again in 25-or-so years, depending on normal wear and tear. But this device will last longer than a traditional metal only unit. I checked in to the hospital (more accurately referred to as a Klinik, I believe because it is a private facility, as opposed to a Krankenhaus, which is public, but that needs to be verified) the afternoon before the surgery. Heh, none of this showing up at 6:00 AM on the day of stuff… The plan was to stay at the Klinik for 11 days, then move directly to a rehab facility for 3 weeks (!). All of this paid for through health and retirement insurance, without a deductible, except for €10 per day while at the Klinik. The room at the Klinik was shared with 2 other men The room at the Rehab facility was private, with all of the panache of a 1.5-2 star hotel… In other words basic, but good enough. As for the level of care, it couldn’t have been better, although hospital food is simply universally disliked. And the focus on infection prevention was incredible, as well. From the aforementioned infection treatment, to the constant reminders to use disinfectant, etc. As for recovery, it was the 2nd or 3rd day after the operation when the physical therapist already had me standing. From then on, daily exercises, then to getting around on crutches shortly afterward, to extended walks around the campus and neighborhood, and all of this while still at the Klinik. The move to the Rehab facility was done via taxi (paid for by insurance, of course) on a Friday morning. Checked in there (another gorgeous area of the city, right next to a park) and basically had the weekend free until the further rehab work would begin. I didn’t know what to expect at Rehab, but what was given was far more than anything I thought would happen. Not just the planned exercises (both in a health-club environment and physical therapy settings), but the seminars over nutrition and pain management, the one-on-one care from the therapists, nurses and doctors, financial advice and aid for those of us self employed and losing income while not working, the relaxation sessions, the time spent socially with other patients, etc. Day by day, better and better. Walks in the park to using stairs more than the elevator, the guidance and support from the staff, down time to practice or work on music (I had brought my computer and such with me). Also, it’s now 2 1/2 months since the operation, and rehab continues twice a week at a health-club-like facility in the city (one is given €5 per appointment for transportation costs!), and continued physical therapy at a second place. Again, to sum it all up, the experience was and continues to be wonderful. And with no worries for payment, what I could or couldn’t afford, even to the point of receiving some compensation to help with the loss of income, it is what most of the western world takes for granted, but what in the US is sadly and maddeningly argued over with all of the idiotic, uninformed fear mongering that goes along with it.

I am writing this story not to place blame, but to share my story of how an inadequate health care system has had a negative impact on my life. I am only a single example of how a bad system can destroy a potentially strong link, and I would prefer that such things do not happen en masse due to the proposed health care bill. I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus at the age of 7, in 1977. At that time, it was almost a death sentence. People died from the disease, and my pediatrician did all he could to keep me alive. Facing potential kidney failure, he put me on a dosage of steroids (Prednisone) higher than even an adult should have taken. This daily dose was part of my medical regime for a year, and while it may indeed have saved my life, it has also - to some extent - ruined it, which is the purpose of telling you my story today. The high dosage of steroids marched through my body like a determined soldier, affecting my body in various ways. Stunted growth, delayed development, Cushing’s syndrome, mood swings, and the worst – softening of the bones. Unfortunately, there was little warning about these symptoms, and when I was well enough I still wanted to be a child – to run, play, climb trees, ride bikes, take dance classes, ice skating, roller skating – and by the time a new pediatrician did warn me of the dangers, it was too late. At age 11, several verterbrae in my upper spine collapsed, just from sitting at the piano. Then, it was discovered that my hip joints were already beginning to disintegrate – avascular necrosis of the hips at age 12. I was too young and too sick for a hip replacement at that time. After age 18, it was decided to monitor my condition, as hip replacements did not last very long, and the longer we could wait, the better it would be, so as not to have the risk of more surgeries than necessary in my lifetime. I persevered. I did well in college, then started a Master’s. I worked full-time. But I had to decline a scholarship to go to law school because the pain had made day to day life more difficult. By the time I was in my mid-20’s the pain was severe. I had to normalize the pain and keep going, as I was someone who refused to “lie down” in the face of my illness, but I went to the orthopedist to inquire if it was indeed time for my surgery. This doctor told me no, because insurance wouldn’t pay for it, as it would be considered “elective” surgery, since I could still walk. Stunned, I left his office in tears. My only choice was to keep going, and endure. At that time I was living in Tennessee. Slowly, my ability to function normally worsened. I couldn’t work as many hours. I couldn’t be active. Yet still, I could walk, so the surgery wasn’t available to me. Yet I got lucky. I got married and moved abroad. We settled in Germany, and within a couple of months of moving to Germany I could no longer walk without the support of crutches. The pain had gotten unbearable, and so I consulted an orthopedist here. The look of shock and pity on his face when he first saw my X-ray told me how bad it was, and I proceeded to see this look many times as I consulted surgeons and planned my surgery. The damage was so extensive to my left hip that the bone had not developed properly – it was smaller than the average implant, and a custom implant had to be made. My pelvis had tilted 6cm in an effort to protect the left hip, which had broken several times. When the doctor asked why I hadn’t had the surgery in the U.S., I told him it was because they said it was elective surgery. The look of disgust and anger on his face was palpable. I was told that damage so bad took decades to occur, and it was likely that surgery would have been necessary when I was 18. In fact, had I lived in Germany, it would have happened at 18, despite any risks, because it is considered a quality of life issue. Imagine that: a health care system where proper treatment is based on improving a patient’s quality of life. Unfortunately, the successful hip replacement surgery (both sides – I make quite the buzz at airport security) is not the happy ending to my woeful tale. It has been three years since the operation on my left hip, and I am still experiencing severe pain. My range of motion is improved, my stamina is better, and the pelvis is almost back to normal (1cm difference). Yet I can’t sit for more than an hour without feeling discomfort, I can’t stand in one position for more than a couple of minutes without a lot of pain, and often I can’t even rest comfortably in bed. I walk and exercise as much as I can, but obviously I must be careful. I see a physical therapist twice a week, which helps as well. I must take pain medication on a regular basis. All other possibilities have been ruled out, and my orthopedist has concluded that the pain is the result of so many years of degeneration and the terrible condition of my hip, and the pain is possibly chronic. In essence, by refusing to make a small investment in my health care, my potential was squandered: including years of work, academic achievement, and productive contribution to society. I am facing the reality that I may never know a life without pain. It is a small thing, compared to a lot of other people. Still, after 40 years of pain, the end result of my successful hip replacement surgeries was expected to be no more pain, or at the very least, very little pain – and knowing that I face more pain, with no confirmation that it will end, is daunting to me. I won’t give up. I have no reason to. I live in a country with a health care system that takes exceptionally good care of me. The U.S. should perhaps look into the German system, if Congress is having trouble trying to “fix” ACA. I know there are also a lot of good ideas out there, from some Democrats and Republicans. The citizens of the United States of America deserve a good health care plan. People are more productive and happy and spend more money when they don’t have to worry about what happens if they get sick, and these are all crucial requirements for a successful economy. Alas, I digress, my story is told, and you know what you have to do.

My husband and I stopped to help a middle aged American couple who had been touring the Rheinland. They had been biking when the woman fell and hurt her leg. We helped them access the German healthcare system, where the woman was treated for a broken leg. She and her husband were so impressed with the quality of care and the cost of care that they returned for follow up from the state of Washington a year later. Having lived in Germany for 30 years I can only confirm their experience. I was treated for breast cancer 10 years ago. Not only did I receive excellent care and experience a positive outcome, there was absolutely no disruption of my family’s life due to financial pressures.

I live in the UK where everyone has access to quality healthcare, regardless of income. From where I stand, the US health care situation looks appalling. Last summer, a disabled cousin based in Wisconsin died prematurely of cancer aged 54, because his health insurance would only pay for so many days of hospital treatment. He was then transferred to a home where he was forced to "exercise" every day for an hour. He died 10 days into his stay in that institution. That, to me, is the problem with American health care: cutting-edge treatments available to a minority, inadequate care for the majority, especially the vulnerable. That is not a social model to be proud of.

Hello, fellow Democrats Abroad! I have been under universal health care coverage for nearly all my professional career, first in Algeria, and now in France. I have had some harrowing experiences on the health scene, less by questions of policy coverage than by circumstances which necessitated health care. I was nearly always taken in and cared for without question, and indeed without personally incurring expenses. In Algeria public health policy had covered all my immunizations yithout my having to advance even the slightest payment. I once broke an ankle wnile playing basketball with fellow teachers, and although I had to drive to the nearest hospital thirty kilometers away I was properly examined and treated without having to pay. I did have to insist on being cared for, when the opening hours at the clinic expired, but I prevailed, and did not have to pay out of pocket. Near the end of my sojourn in Algeria, I was stabbed in the back in downtown Algiers, and I was taken into emergency care at first and then into intensive care with securitz guard, all without any outlay on my part. To the contrary my care was considered as a responsibilitz of the country because of the "indignity" of having been attacked on the street of the nation's capital. Laterm during my retirement in France, I was covered by the nation's public health care system, but did pay for enrolment in the health care system, a rather nominal sum, but less than the care yould have cost in the United States, although that cost was covered by employer's health care. I have been in relatively good health, but asthmatic and diabetic, for which I receive medication covered at 100%, and see the doctor as needed, usually without an appointment, without undue waits and no payment other than the nominal €23 for the visit, which is, incidentally repaid by my mutual health care policy! I am totally happy with this system, and would not willingly submit to the US health care system in its current disorderly state. Rev. Dr. Hugh G Johnson (BA, STB, MDIV, MA, PhD)

Before moving to Germany to study, I had two medical incidents (one of them requiring an ambulance) that my insurance declined to cover. My savings were completely wiped out from the financial shock and the prices for the procedures were exorbitantly high (an ambulance in NY costs about $100/minute which came to $2000 after a 20 minute ride). Since coming to Germany, I've discovered the benefits of a system that is not based on the monetization of healthcare. I no longer have to fear the small print on the contract pages of an insurance company, and I don't hesitate to seek medical attention when I need it.

(This was printed in my local paper – Montrose Daily Press- earlier this year.) Dear Editor, I was raised in Montrose, Colorado from the age of 5-18. I moved to London, UK directly after college and have been here ever since (going on almost 20 years now!) Universal health care is all I have known for the duration of my adult life. I have never had to worry if I could afford insurance or if I qualified for insurance even though I have some pre-existing conditions. When I lost my job , I didn’t have to worry if I would still be covered. When my husband changed jobs or when he decided to work for himself, the health coverage of our family was never in jeopardy. Breaking Bad is one of my favourite shows but it could never happen in the UK. If you get lung cancer, you don’t have to become a drug dealer in order to pay your medical bills and feed your family without going bankrupt! We are human beings. And our bodies break. And I can’t tell you how comforting it is to know that with or without money, my family’s healthcare is taken care of -- and I look at my own country in disbelief. The idea that some Americans get the finest medical care on earth, while tens of thousands of others are left to die for lack of care -- doesn’t sit well with me. British health care isn’t always perfect - but it allows me to sleep at night without worrying that one I might have to choose between healthcare for my daughter and a roof over our heads. I so wish my fellow Americans had the same freedom. Yours Sincerely, Ms Jerramy Fine

I moved to the UK on April 4, 2010 and have lived here since. From April 4th onward I stopped worrying about health insurance coverage, premiums and health care costs, all due to the UK's National Health Service. What was once one of the largest sources of stress and concern in my life disappeared literally overnight. The US could have this too - after all, most developed economies in the world provide health care for their citizens. Healthcare for all isn't radical. It's obvious.

I live in Ireland and have access to low-cost universal universal healthcare. Ireland is a little different as we are on a two-tiered system - public and private - and the public option isn't free (unless you have a medical card) but it is very cheap. If I go to the doctor, it cost me €50. If my doctor refers me to a specialist on the public option, it is free. Same for emergency room. I once had to go to the emergency room and have X-rays - that cost me only €60 total. We also have a prescription scheme here that caps the amount you pay for prescriptions at a certain amount each month. Once you hit that amount, if you need to fill more prescriptions within that month, you don't have to pay for them. This is useful for expensive birth control and other types of medication. I hope this helps! Hilary Gray