NORFOLK -- The state AARP is holding several events in Virginia Beach this week to marks its effort to help seniors and people of all ages have a better chance at affording health care.

They want to urge legislators to put a priority on a better healthcare system for young and old.

Sandy Betor of Norfolk used to have health insurance, but when a car struck her husband, she quit her job to care for him.

“I lost my job, so, therefore, I lost my insurance coverage.”

She went without healthcare for her high blood pressure for years until she discovered Park Place Medical Center in Norfolk, a place that helps the uninsured.

“I made too much money, don’t qualify for Medicaid. I’m not old enough to get Medicare,” explained Betor. “I was, just, fell through the cracks.”

Medicare coverage begins at age 65 after many have already fallen through the cracks.

Video: Events held to encourage better healthcare

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“We’re talking about a lot of folks and we don’t need to wait until age 65 to deal with the issue,” said Virginia AARP president Warrens Stewart.

It is not just the unemployed who are affected. Many people who work cannot pay insurance premiums. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, healthcare costs have risen 78% since 2001, while wages raised less than 20%.

An estimated one million Virginians are either uninsured or under-insured. 

The AARP initiative, called “Divided We Fail,” is holding events for the public starting Thursday through Saturday in Virginia Beach. This includes an open forum Thursday evening at St. Luke’s Church.