Gripping stories from America’s heartland. Next on NOW.

As Congress hammers out legislation that will determine the future of health care in this country, NOW travels to the nation’s heartland to see what reform could mean for the middle class. On Friday, December 4, at 8:30 PM (check local listings), NOW Senior Correspondent Maria Hinojosa meets two tight-knit Oklahoma families whose problems with private health insurance left them unable to get proper medical care – and on the brink of financial ruin.

One of those families – the O’Reillys – grapples with the issue of how to cover needed respiratory therapy treatment for their eight-year-old daughter, Sophie, who was denied coverage for what the insurance company labeled a “pre-existing condition.”

“People pretty frequently say, ‘Oh, you know, my plan works great for me’,” says Sophie’s mother Natalie O’Reilly.” And my answer to that is – insurance works really well until you need it. Until you really, truly need it.”