I'm eager to let you know about a new feature on the About.com Health Insurance site - Share Your Story.

If you have no health insurance or have recently been laid off, you may want to share how you are coping with this difficult problem.

Also, you may have some great ideas that could help others in the same situation.

Share Your Story: Managing Without Health Insurance

The so-called "public option" (a government -run insurance plan) has been one of the more testy parts of the health reform debate in Congress.

Although no details have been announced, Senate Democratic leaders announced yesterday that they will replace a public insurance option with a non-profit plan.

Although no details have been announced, the non-profit plan most likely would be sold and managed by private insurance companies but overseen by the Office of Personnel Management, which administers health insurance coverage for federal employees. The agreement also includes the possibility of allowing Americans ages 55 to 64 the option to "buy-in" to Medicare.

Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader will ask the Congressional Budget Office to estimate the cost of both the non-profit and Medicare "buy-in" options.

More Information About Health Reform:

• Health Care Reform: What's at Stake?
• How Will Health Reform Affect Me?

What do you think?

If you have a chronic illness and take several medications, the costs may become a serious burden, especially if you do not have any health insurance or drug coverage.

The following are some well-established ways to save money on your medications:

1. Buy generic medications.
2. Shop around at pharmacies in your area.
3. Ask your pharmacy to match the lowest price in the community.
4. Shop for generics at "Big Box" stores.
5. Stick to the no-name store brand when buying an over-the-counter (OTC) medication.
6. Learn about pill splitting.
7. Go postal and buy thru the mail.
8. Buy medications online. Buying your medications online can be easy. Just make sure you do it safely!
9. Choose your health plan wisely.
10. Ask your doctor to prescribe a cheaper alternative.

For all the details, read: 10 Cost-Saving Recommendations to Help You Save Money on Medications.

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Photo © clu/istockphoto.com

Last night I was fortunate to get tickets for a forum at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. The forum was to honor the life of Senator Edward M. Kennedy who died in August.

The forum speakers included the award-winning historian Michael Beschloss, Pulitzer-Prize winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin, Mike Barnicle, political analyst for MSNBC, and EJ Dionne, a columnist for the Washington Post.

While listening to the speakers, I was reminded that the senator's death was a tremendous loss for our health care system, wherever you "sit" in the political spectrum.

Throughout his career, Senator Kennedy was a champion for all Americans who had limited access to health care services. His expertise and guidance is very much missed in the current rancorous health reform debate.