I really need your help!!!

I really need everyones help. With all this discussion on healthcare I am a little confused on what should be done. You see, I have always been one of those who has felt that we should all take responsiblity for our own actions. I have done it and I expect others to follow suit. But I have a couple of real life situations that I need some help on. Here they are:

1) We are going to call this person John. John was having severe pain in his back. He thought he had pulled a muscle or something in his lower back but had no insurance and could not afford to go to a doctor so he ignored it. The pain continued on and on but he just hoped it would eventually go away. A year or so passed and the pain continued and actually increased. Finally, John went to see a doctor. The doctor imediately put him into the hospital. To make a long story short John had kidney disease that eventually costs him a kidney. No insurance the total costs @ $250,00 that he has no chance of paying. The Dr. states that if they had caught it early enough they could have saved the kidney plus the pain and suffering that came and continues with it.

2) We are going to call this person Mary. This person is someone who has tried to do everything right her entire life. Started and was successful for a while in her own business. For many reasons, her business closed and in the process she lost everything. Her house, her business and her dignity. Mary was forced at 52 to move back in with her elderly mother. Mary has had many physical ailments throughout her life and such her health insurance is @$1500.00 per month. Without insurance her prescryptions run $1400 per mo. A year later she can no longer afford health insurance. She falls between the cracks of medicaid and disablity. With her age and medical history, the chances of her finding employment are slim. What is she to do?

Folks these are 2 people I actually know. This is not a scare tactic or stories made up. What are we to do? To help these people some would call it socialism, or government interference. We scream about choice, but what are their choices?
Call me whatever you may, I am big enough and tough enough to take it. But I really am ashamed of a country that allows this to happen. Matt. 25 tells us that what we do for the least we do to Jesus.

I look forward to your replies.

Syd