Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, over the course of this last year, I've had many meetings with constituents and heard their views about health care reform. Among those with whom I met were Dash and Cathy Sokol of Lorain, Ohio. Dash is 56; his wife, 53. In February of 2007 Dash was diagnosed with prostate cancer. And as he fought that cancer, Cathy was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Sokols have health insurance coverage through his job at the steel mill; but as both were receiving treatment, the costs nonetheless began to add up. Their out-of-pocket spending became overwhelming, and they're now using their pension funds to pay for the medical bills instead of having funds for retirement.
Cathy told me how guilty she feels about all of that and that their family has to pay out of this because their insurance coverage isn't adequate. And there are a lot of Americans who need better health care insurance.
When the Sokols came to my office, they brought stacks and stacks of invoices, explanations of benefits. They talked about how they're trying to pay their bills, and they are doing it, slowly but sure. But he worries and he lives [Page: H12224] in fear that his job will go away at the mill and he won't be able to get coverage. That's why we need health care reform. END
