Hon. Jennifer Coffey | Support HCR12

House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs HCR12 Testimony January 30, 2026 Mr. Chair and Honourable members of the committee; My name is Jennifer Coffey. I am a former Republican state representative, having served from 2008 to 2012. Healthcare is one issue Republicans and Democrats find themself fighting side by side on. I spend much of my time talking to patients and families who are fighting their insurance companies for the healthcare they need to live with dignity and a life worth living. I was a first responder and trauma team tech until my second round of cancer. I always had at least two jobs most of my adult life. The cancer destroyed my body, and even today, I sit here knowing I may be losing more of my vision due to treatments I had over a decade ago. It’s an unforgiving disease that most families don’t go untouched by. Due to unlucky genetics, it came with a side order of the most painful disease known to medicine, CRPS, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, the “suicide disease.” 70% of people with it, young and old, consider suicide; they shouldn’t have to when treatment exist but so-called health insurance companies lock people out by denying them care. Refusing to grant prior authorization, loved ones are literally on their knees begging the gods of United Healthcare for their lives. I know, I flew to United Healthcare’s Headquarters in Minnesota, stood in their lobby, and begged for my life. I would challenge you to find one thing health insurance companies do to increase positive outcomes in care. They simply do nothing but get in the way of quality care, denying people the preventative care that could have given them the one thing we all want. More time in this world. What they do is get in the way so they can fund their Gulf Stream jets and buy their 3rd homes. While a kid dies because his asthma medication went from $30 bucks to over 500 dollars. His parents will tell you they wish they had known. His life was worth that $500 dollars, but to the insurance company, profit was worth more. Remember, this money is stolen from our medicare tax dollars. Diverted from their intended purpose of paying for the care and treatments hard-working Americans need and pay into all of their lives. This is not a handout or charity; it is an insurance policy Americans pay into for Americans. I don't know about you, but my first payment to Medicare was around age 14. I had the experience of seeing the Netherlands healthcare system up close; it's amazing to see care given in a timely manner, as it should be. It's not socialized medicine; it's national. The docs still own their practice, and they are paid a reasonable amount for services that allow them to work for the people. Imagine money going directly to care without an eye doctor working for the insurer telling a heart surgeon they are not approving the cardiac ablation needed to send a Dad home to his kids, instead of a funeral home for an early grave. These are some of the reasons Medicare for all would better serve working families. But for it to happen, it will take all of us to stand up and say enough is enough. Allow us to choose a policy that almost every doctor, hospital, and clinic takes, Medicare. Allow me to cross state lines and be seen at Dana Farber. Where I did get my cancer care until my private for-profit health insurance in the form of a Medicare “dis ”advantage plan started charging me for routine care, Medicare says is supposed to be covered 100%. United Healthcare said the doctor was in network, but the building was out of network, so I needed to pay for some of the cost for my cancer screening mammogram. You know to make sure I don't get cancer a third time. I was forced to move my care and tell me how taking away my continuity in care makes my healthcare better? It doesn’t, and I’m still fighting them because they say therapy sessions are not covered by Medicare. When they do pay, they pay less than Medicare and not enough for docs to pay the bills, but they never come up short in their profits. United Healthcare collects about 8 billion dollars a quarter, and the bulk of that is our Medicare tax dollars. Stop giving it! A national healthcare system that aims to provide the best care, not bring in the biggest profits, serves people. We are the only country that denies healthcare unless you are healthy enough to work. Get sick, lose your job, lose your healthcare, lose your world. Trust me, it’s that bad. I know I lost everything and am lucky to even sit here before you today. On paper, I kind of look like I’m dying. According to my biopsy, I’m not even supposed to be able to feel the ground well enough to walk. Despite my health insurance trying to kill me off by denying me access to life-saving care. I’ve had to go to DC and get help from our congressional delegation, as have many others across the country. To get permission for a doctor to save a life. It’s beyond ridiculous; it’s absurd, and it only exists in America. You have a chance to send a message. Saying we the people want a pubic option that allows us to use our own money to fund American healthcare. An agency that uses approximately 1% to work. It doesn’t argue with doctors or tell oncologists to try a less expensive chemo to treat a child with cancer than the medication the doctor believes will save his life. Life and death shouldn’t hinge on the profit margins of private for-profit health insurance companies. I have a provider that had to hire a staffer to do nothing all day, every day, but blue cross and blue shield denials. What life-saving care could that money have covered? How many more medical providers could we have if only the funds were available? This nation already has a serious issue with a lack of access to medical providers. Try to find a primary today. It shouldn’t be this way, and it doesn’t have to if our elected officials fight for us, not the profits of insurance companies. Healthcare should work in the most efficient way, and that is direct care to patients and direct payment of the bill. That's what Medicare does now. It's not perfect, but it's far better than what we have now. Thank you for your time and attention. I'd be happy to answer any questions. Hon. Jennifer Coffey, JP, AA, NREMTI (Ret.) (She, Her) National Volunteer Healthcare Advocate / Storyteller People's Action | People’s Action Institute | Volunteer Member Leader Popular Democracy | People's Chorus | Volunteer Member Leader Rights and Democracy -NH | Rights and Democracy Institute | Volunteer Member Leader jenncoffey16@gmail.com | jenncoffey.com