I got to experience what life was like without health insurance and believe me, it was a horrible experience. It was just after Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey and my place had basically been underwater, about 4 feet of water. I lost a few electronics, but I had tried to save the clothes I had. Unfortunately, there was no power for a few days, so I just threw them in the trunk of my car, a hatchback, damp. Little did I know this would cause a sickness in me that I could not get rid of until the clothes were gone.

Mold was pretty much everywhere. Houses were moldy. Anything that got wet had a nasty ocean smell to it. It was rancid and horrid. My car and I probably smelled horrible. I was living out of my car for about a week or two and when you live paycheck to paycheck, you try to preserve whatever you have. Unfortunately, I forgot to fill my gas tank and it was almost impossible to get gas in the days after the hurricane. I still had to go to work and my boss, who was unaffected, was extremely unforgiving for the day or two I took off. But I had been sleeping out of my car, in cold weather, because I could not even turn it on to warm up, as my gas was low and I needed whatever gas would get me to work.

I had no health insurance and got sick to the point where I was coughing up a lung and could barely breathe. I thought I was going to die. My lungs literally felt like they were collapsing every time I took a breath. Trying to visit the doctor would have cost me about $300 out of pocket. Fortunately, on Saturdays my doctor had started this program where he charged $100 flat-fees for walk-ins. This did not cover the cost of anything that he prescribed.

So on top of that $100, he prescribed me some antibiotics for bronchitis and some other medicine from an inhaler, which would cost me an additional $200. So on top of being low on gas, having no food for several days, no place to live or do laundry, I had to scramble together, even asking my boss for my (lousy) paycheck in advance just so I could afford the medicine I needed. After a day or two, he hesitantly did end up giving me an advance. The medicine barely did anything for me. It wasn't until at least a week later when I finally got to washing my clothes and cleaning out my car that I had learned of the mold hanging out in my car, on my clothes, and causing me to be severely sick.

It was really a devastating time in my life. I now have a pretty good job that offers healthcare, and although I don't agree with Obamacare, and I hate the fact that I have to pay $150 out of every paycheck or face a penalty for something I barely use, I wish there was a better way to make healthcare more affordable. Where is the money going if I don't go to the doctor? I don't ever see it again. So it is a healthcare tax, yet another thing that takes more money out of my paycheck.

I would rather see EVERYTHING we purchase in the United States--the supermarket, the mall, the corner store, fast food, gasoline, luxury items, Amazon, etc.--all raised by at least 10-20 cents. That 10-20 cent tax on every single item that people purchase would create universal healthcare for everyone living in the United States. And it would be EVERYONE CONTRIBUTING towards healthcare, not just a group of people that make X amount a year.