Uninsured? Get the Facts

March 2, 2009— -- Dan Russo worked in the health insurance industry for 20 years, but when he lost his job he lost his insurance.

"Insurance should be portable, it should be available and it should be affordable," said Russo, 57.

But the Russos have found none of those things to be true. Dan and his wife, Judith, who recently had knee surgery, pay more than $36,000 a year for health insurance.

"What we tried to save for retirement is disappearing before retirement age," he said.

More than 20 percent of baby boomers say they're worried they won't be able to afford medical care this year.

Forty-five million Americans have no health insurance, and with unemployment numbers on the rise, that number is growing.

Lillie Shockney, a nurse at Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center, says she's been receiving e-mails from some of them.

"They're fearful that the symptoms could very well be that of a diagnosis of breast cancer and they don't have health-care insurance for getting a mammogram, diagnostic evaluation, seeing a doctor, much less embarking on breast cancer treatment," Shockney said.

One e-mail she received came from a 13-year-old girl whose mother was having troubling symptoms.

She wrote: "My mom has been having blood coming from one of her breasts. She was recently laid off from work and doesn't have insurance. She doesn't want to see a doctor because she is worried about the bills. I'm worried though that she might have breast cancer. Is this breast cancer?"

Shockney urges the women who write to her to see a doctor, but more and more patients are saying that, for them, it's no longer an option.

Get the facts about finding health insurance in your state by clicking here.

See if you are eligible for free or low cost medicine at the Partnership for Prescription Assistance by clicking here.

Get a complete U.S. directory of health-care options by clicking here.

This helpful glossary of terms can help you make sense of your health-care options.

Your kids have a lot of health-care options. Click here for more information.