"Since that horrible October in 2005, Sophie has needed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of treatments, hospitalizations, surgeries, medications, testing, and interventions in order to stay strong and healthy, and in some instances, to stay alive. She has required three bronchoscopies, the middle section of her lung removed, extensive genetic testing, cardiology work ups, dozens of x-rays, CT scans, and a two week trip to a pulmonary hospital in Denver. When she's healthy, she requires three steroids, twice a day, and when she's sick she is usually on five steroids, twice daily. She's been diagnosed with right middle lobe syndrome (though not anymore, since she had it removed), a genetic mutation of cystic fibrosis, severe uncontrollable asthma, and severe sinus disease. Since SoonerCare is the only insurance that will accept Sophie, we have to meet their financial criteria, which means living at or below the poverty level. I have had to quit wonderful jobs because I made too much money to qualify for SoonerCare. At this point I can only work either part-time, or for a very small salary, because we CANNOT afford to lose Sophie's healthcare coverage. It's the most important thing in our lives. We structure every single financial and professional decision we make around staying eligible for SoonerCare." - Ray Cromwell

A tale of "pre-existing condition" rejection that happened during a switch between insurance companies. - Ray Cromwell

With the number of layoffs we've seen over the last couple of years, we're going to start seeing a *lot* more people in this situation. If all it takes is one day of missing coverage to trigger preexisting conditions, that's a pretty low bar for slipping into the "utterly screwed" category. - Joel Webber