WATERLOO - Pragna Sengupta has diabetes but she can't find anyone to insure her.

The Cedar Falls woman has tried to find a carrier since her diagnosis in May 2007, but has endured a series of rejections because of her pre-existing condition. She is concerned a major complication will bankrupt her family, despite her relatively good health thus far.

"There is nowhere for me to go. I take good care of my diabetes, but it's a very strange disease. It's a hard disease to control," she said.

At a health care forum Tuesday night organized by AARP, director Bruce Koeppl said approximately 1 in 5 baby boomers is rejected or charged very high premiums because of a pre-existing condition.

"It borders on ridiculous, frankly," he said.

Koeppl called this the most crucial time for health care reform in recent memory.

"The next six to eight weeks are very critical. We have to push this thing over the goal line," he said.

Lynn Bakula of Cedar Falls said she considers herself one of the lucky ones. She receives health insurance through her husband's employer, John Deere.

Even so, she said she feels some insecurity. Her husband's health insurance contract is up this fall, and she expects premiums to rise, as they always do. She also receives unexpected bills and higher-than-expected co-pays because she and her husband struggle to understand all of the fine print of their health plan.

"It affects everyone," she said.

Koeppl said insurance for Americans with pre-existing conditions is only one of many health care reforms being debated in Congress.

He said he hopes several key reforms will help lower patients' drug costs, expand choice and affordability of health care, and increase insurance coverage:

Close the Medicare Part D coverage gap, which affected 33 percent of Iowans on Medicare in 2007.

Create a Medicare hospital-to-home transition benefit to avoid re-hospitalizations. In 2003-04, nearly 20 percent of Iowans on Medicare were re-hospitalized within 30 days.

Increase funding and Medicare eligibility for Iowans who want to stay in their homes and avoid costly nursing home care as they age.

Expand Medicare savings programs and Part D low-income eligibility to include more middle class Americans who struggle with health care costs.