This past April I was plagued by night sweats and night time fever for almost a week. I had private health insurance through United Golden Rule. When I went to the doctor concerned for my symptoms, a series of blood work and urinalysis were performed. Within a few days, I was contacted by the supervising physician and was told that I am HIV+. Shortly thereafter, I got letters from Golden Rule saying they needed to research my health history to be sure that the HIV was not a preexisting condition. I have been insured for 7 years without any lapse in coverage but had switched from one provider to the current one within the year. Once it was proved by the doctors that my fever and night sweats were caused by acute HIV infection, the insurance company sent me a letter saying that they would cover no more than $5000 per calendar year in HIV related care. I am self employed and very blessed with a profitable business. Due to my level of income, I do not qualify for any public assistance for care or medications. It was recommended by my HIV care physician to switch my insurance immediately to the Tx Health Risk Pool. I have since switched my insurance and now have a monthly premium of $424 and a deductible of $2500. This insurance will cover 50% of specialty medications. When the time comes to begin medication, I estimate a total of around $1200 per month in combined insurance and medication costs. This is possible for me to handle but leaves almost no room for any sort of savings. My future of living with HIV is frightening to me. When I look at the tables for pricing with the Risk Pool insurance, I can look forward to a premium of close to $1000 per month by the age of 55. This number when thought of in regards to inflation and other possible healthcare concerns scares me to death. I know I can take care of myself now, but what do I have to look forward to later? I am optimistic that Obama\'s healthcare reform plan will help the country and all of us effected by chronic illness. We need a plan that helps us feel confident that we may continue to live healthy, and prosperous lives without worrying about massive and devastating financial burden.