BOSTON -- The rising costs of health care and insurance have made coverage unaffordable even to some full-time workers.

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NewsCenter 5's Anthony Everett reported that of the 68 percent who are working and uninsured, 45 percent work full-time. A recent state survey on health insurance found that of those who were offered employer health coverage, 82 percent said it was too expensive to take.

For 10 years, Veronica Greico has worked full-time as a parking lot attendant in Lawrence, Mass.

With two teenage boys and a disabled husband at home, health insurance is out of reach for the family. Veronica suffers from kidney problems and said not having health coverage makes her feel like "a nobody."

"Because I contribute to the family and work every day the best I can do. But when they tell you that a family of four can afford health insurance at $30,000 or something a year, they don't want to figure that you eat, OK, or have lights and gas -- that's OK. But you still need a roof over your head," she said.

Veronica's employer offers health insurance, but at $120 a month, it is too high. The Greicos barely have enough cash left over after bills and groceries.

"It's a lottery every month -- which bills we pay," she said. "Sometimes I don't pay the bills. Sometimes I don't buy the food that I need."

Veronica's husband, Ernie, worked for years but was disabled by spinal and heart conditions. He was covered by MassHealth, but was cut off with only a few days-notice.

"I don't know where to turn, what bridge to jump off. You go to reach for a rope and it's gone," he said.

The letter from the state said the Greicos earn too much for further assistance. Between Ernie's Social Security and Veronica's paycheck, the family earns about $34,000 a year. The Greicos say they feel forgotten. They are just above the government guidelines for assistance but too strapped to afford Veronica's employer benefits, which would only cover her care.

"If I put my husband on it who really needs it, I would have to pay $1,300 a month," Veronica said.

That would be more than half of Veronica's monthly income.

The Greicos make twice what the federal government considers poverty, but health insurance is still beyond their reach. Of the uninsured in Massachusetts, more than half have at least one family member working full-time. Although many are offered employer benefits, they cannot afford the deductibles and co-pays.

"We are the little people here. We just stand by and wait for the higher-ups to decide our fate, pretty much," Veronica said. "People who sit down and come up with these figures, they've never had to afford life on 'X' amount of dollars a month. They would never be denied any health care."

Veronica stays on top of the news, hoping the people who can make things better will.

"Look into the hearts and souls of these families and see what the real-life picture is," she said.

Veronica's children are covered through state assistance. But there are fewer safety nets for low-income adults. Even when the employer benefits are available, many cannot afford the deductibles and co-pays.

Healthcare For All, an advocacy group, is proposing that income guidelines be raised for state assistance. Like Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the group favors pooling the uninsured together to negotiate lower cost private insurance. A tier system is also an option where members pay less or more according to the plan.