Americans are finding the cost of health insurance increasing, so that the need for affordable health care is on the rise. Increasingly, workers are finding themselves on the receiving end from their employers who are reducing the services provided or passing on the increases. It's because I'm one of the many affected by this that I know because prior to this year my company's health care package was really good. Suddenly, my employer announced it was getting too expensive and was switching health care providers.

The company was seeking a more cost effective plan that would benefit all of its employees. I suppose some people are better off and perhaps I shouldn't sound ungrateful. To some extent I do agree, but their search for another provider now costs me double the money from my paychecks to have my husband and daughter on my policy. Taking a good deal less home in my paycheck to have my family remain on the healthcare policy seems to be the only option I have because almost everyone else is happy with the new arrangement.

To be honest, I got on well with the old provider but can't see that happening here even if the health care plan is half decent. Increased out of pocket expenses and higher co-pays and less money in our paychecks are the result of my company's change to an affordable health care provider. You see, four years ago, I gave birth to a little girl and of course my old insurance paid for the whole of my hospital stay. Today, if I had a baby, it would cost me around four thousand dollars for my expenses.

This figure does not take into account additional amounts I must pay out of my salary. We are now seeing an increasing number of companies creating affordable health care plans. Those less fortunate can now get free health care more readily and workers without health care are able to join special schemes. Although these programs are a good idea for those less fortunate there are always people who want to abuse the system.

Those programs should be for struggling families who are taking steps to better their futures, not for people who have no motivation and live off of the state systems and affordable health care programs. Although I say they can be a burden to the state, I really mean a burden to its citizens because it is the tax payer who foots the bill. The health plan program my employer found definitely had improved financial benefits for him. Having a reduced income seems to be the result of these work changes with only the company truly benefiting. In the long term we really need to do something in America to help those in need find affordable health care.