Americans are finding the cost of health insurance increasing, so that the need for affordable health care is on the rise. Companies are using rising premiums and tighter financial budgets to reduce the level of health care available to their employees. In this instance I speak with experience because my health care service has reduced this year for the first time ever. This was a shock to everyone; being told that the health care provider was going to be replaced because the cost was too great.

To make the system fair to everyone, the health care provider would need to change. I suppose some people are better off and perhaps I shouldn't sound ungrateful. The new insurance company may be cheaper for the company but it isn't for me because to have my husband and daughter in the plan costs double what it did with the previous provider. Lower cost cover may be available for all my colleagues now plus the company has saved money but if I want to keep my family on the plan, I will have to settle for a lower income.

My health care may still be very good despite the fact that the old company was much better than this new one. Many workers saw their paychecks reduce when this new affordable health care scheme come into force. My last policy took care of all the hospital stay when I had my little boy nearly 3 years ago. Compare this to the new health care plan and I would be out of pocket by over 4,000 dollars.

But, this doesn't include the additional amounts taken out of my paycheck, only the hospital costs. The availability of affordable health care plans is on the increase which should help those less fortunate. Single mothers, families working for companies that don't offer coverage, low-income households - they are all able to get low cost or even free health care. Although these programs are a good idea for those less fortunate there are always people who want to abuse the system.

Perhaps some form of means testing is needed for people so that only genuine cases have the benefit of affordable health care. We all have a responsibility to help those less fortunate but those who abuse the system put extra financial pressure on the rest of us. The health plan program my employer found definitely had improved financial benefits for him. It worked out just fine for my employers when they switched providers but many of us are paying the price. Affordable health care is a long term issue that needs addressing in this country because it's those worst off who are affected.