Harold Fisher and his daughter Tumonna of Pennsuaken, N.J. played close attention to the president's speech on health care. That’s because Harold's medical bills have left his family with a mountain of debt and worry.
"It needs completely to be overhauled," Fisher said of the health care system Wednesday night.
In May, Harold spent two days in the hospital to get a defibrillator put into his chest – setting him back a whopping $124,000. He has Medicare, but still has to pay $24,000 of the tab, which he can't afford. Now his bills are with collection agencies.
"I don’t know if they'll put a lien on my house or take anything I have...I don’t know what they will do," Fisher said. "I don't know how far this will go with these people."
So Harold and his daughter were listening closely to the President Obama's words Wednesday. They were hoping to hear how the commander-in-chief plans improve Medicare so that costs to individuals will stay low.
Fisher also wanted the president to announce an oversight board that would monitor cost and he wanted to hear him propose a public option.
Did the speech meet his expectations?
"I loved the way he put it together…he said all people must come together," he said. "The Democrats and Republicans, they gotta put their politics aside and really work on this thing."
Harold says he was pleased the president pledged to improve and protect Medicare and he was glad the plan will include a public option.
Still, he wanted to hear more about how the government would oversee all of this. "He got into that…not thoroughly, but he did hit on it a little bit."
