Again, wonderful post. I won't leave my super long comment again, but I will say that with my expensive and supposedly top-rated plan, I spend nearly half of my income on my medical care, and consistently get screwed over by the system. We need reform and we need it now.

And I say again - I'm not Christian, but I believe in God, and according to the Bible, Jesus cured lepers, the poor, the untouchables...do you think THESE people would have insurance if they were contemporary Americans? Definitely not. So I think it's quite clear what God's stance would be.

@laurasaywha@xanga - Well, you wouldn't be paying for anyone else, everyone would be paying for eachother. So, someone else would be paying for you. To me, I think I'd be grateful for that fact, and I'm sure millions of people would, too. :) Just my two cents, though.

I want universal healthcare so badly to happen. I'm currently uninsured and I just broke my ankle on the job. It's sad, because the first thought that popped into my head when the doctor told me that my ankle was broken was, "Oh my god. I'm so glad it happened at work." I'd be severely screwed if I broke it while at home.
I don't see why there are people who don't like this plan. From what I understand about the proposed idea is that if you're uninsured, you get a government run health-care plan. If you're already insured and like it, you can keep it. So everyone wins, right? If someone can enlighten me on why they don't like this plan, or if I'm mistaken on how I read the proposed plan, I'd love to hear from you. :)
Also, my cousin broke his jaw in two places a week before his health insurance kicked in at work. He ended up going bankrupt due to how big the medical expenses were, and he's only 23. Personally, I think the U.S. should waive bankruptsy due to medial expenses, especially if they're not giving the people who can't afford it anything else to fall back on. It's just not fair. And to think the U.S is supposed to be the greatest country in the world, yet it can't take care of its people properly.

Didn't we just read this post? By this author? On this blog? What, are we into re-run season?

The issue is not the health treatments, or the hospitals. By federal law they have to see you and treat you at an emergency room. The Doctors and staff are just as professional and courteous whether you can pay or not.

The issue is in billing. One set of charges if you have insurance, one if you don't. Hospitals are businesses. They bill for their services. If you can't pay, get a loan, use your charge card, etc. They are not a financing company or bank or credit union. They have no obligation to give you time payments, interest free, reduced fees, etc. They have light bills, supllies to purchase, staff to pay, etc., just like any other business.

Unless you have been living in a cave, you are well aware that the U.S. Insurance and health treatment payment system needs reform. What it doesn't need is to be discarded, replaced with government sponsored socialistic health care, and destroy our entire system in the process. Obamacare is a train wreck. He is not being honest about what is in the bill. It's the spaghetti approach; throw it all against the wall and see what sticks. This is NOT a well through out, deliberate approach to reforming or regulating some of the costs associated with health treatment in this country. Most of the sponsors haven't even read the bill. Takes nearly three days to do it. And make no mistake, it is government rationing of health treatment services, with politicians and bureaucrats deciding who gets what care and how much.

Government intervention into insurance and pharmaceutical industry practices and related costs and charges are what is needed. Starting with the tort lawyers who sue for any and everything, and drive the costs of doing business through the roof. But wait, most of our politicians and Senators, Congressmen, etc., are lawyers. And the trial and tort lawyers organizations have those folks in their pockets. They are not going to bite the hand that feeds them (and funds their campaigns for re-election)

It really is that simple. The problem is greed and power. It always is. And the little guy pays the price and sacrifices. Even with all that, we still have the best health treatments in the world, unless you live on an Indian reservation. There's your good example of Americanised Socialistic health care. Rationed care, waiting lines, crappy equipment, understaffed and underfunded clinics, etc. Need a hip replacement? Take an aspirin. Swelling in an arm or leg? Instead of a CAT scan or PET scan, to find the true source, lets just prescribe Motrin. Never mind it may be early stages of cancer, or gout, both of which are treatable, especially if detected early.

Most of your statistics are right out of the left wing liberal playbook.

The fact is, Walmart and others have most of the medications the average person needs, at $4 per prescription. Less than the cost of a pack of cigarettes. If you cannot afford health care, most counties have clinics for low income people. You can get your routine shots, immunizations, etc. Our City Mission even has a health screening and health care clinic that is totally free, and they don't check your finances. There are time when you have no choice, are transported to a hospital (car accident, heart attack, stroke, ruptured appendix, etc.) and have to deal with the bills. Not fun. But they didn't ask you to come in, either. When that happens, at least you are going to get the care you need, whether you can pay for it or not. Not so in other countries.

Most of your statistics point to problems with insurance and payment, not the care or facilities. That is the issue, and what Obamacare is proposing is nothing more than a blind power grab by liberals to have more control over your lives. Do you realize the amount of power you are giving them? The amount of control? This stretches way beyond health treatment and care. Ride a motorcycle? Live in a state with no helmet law? Not for long. That will quickly be implemented nationwide because it is a "health risk" to not have a helmet on. Since the govt health care will have to pay when you crack your skull in an accident. Mandated seat belt laws, primary offense. Mandatory air bags, thus eliminating older cars that don't have them. Surcharges for driving over a certain number of miles, (high risk for accidents) you name it, it can be stuck under the government controlled umbrella of "health care".

We just saw how well thought out and efficient the government is in dealing with things with the "junkers and clunkers" program. The funding was supposed to last 3 years, it lasted 3 months. They had to throw another 2 billion into the program. And they didn't even limit it to mandating that your replacement new car was American built. (Hello Chrsyler and GM, need more sales?)

Thos of you who think the initial proposals they are presenting are the total costs, are either incredibly naieve or stupid. This is the foot in the door. Once they get in, then it will expand exponentially. And the costs will go through the roof, many times what is projected. Think about that. Almost every government sponsored program has exceeded projected costs, and by many times over. When was the last time a government proposed program was implemented, worked as designed, and came in at a lower than projected cost? Private industry does that all the time, it is called competition...

If we vote this thing in, give our control away to the government, we are in quicksand. Once you are in, you are screwed, and no amount of struggling will get you out. The only way out is someone to come rescue you. And who is going to do that? We are the ones that rescue everyone else on the planet, there is no one left to help us.....you'll see your health treatment options disappear, and your mandatory insurance costs will go through the roof. And I can promise tax increases. There is no way we can cover the costs of the program, no way we can pay for the wild spending this administration has been doing, without massive tax increases. You cannot draw money out of thin air. And with them printing it, it devalues the money we currently have. This is all economics 101. The masses have been sufficiently dumbed down to the point that most people worry about what's to eat for dinner and which episode of "Family Guy" is on the tube tonight...

@Ork58@xanga - Agreed.  Universal healthcare is a horrible idea.  Obama said himself, "UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, it's the Post Office that's always having problems."  So, if the government can't successfully run the Post Office, why would we trust them with our healthcare?  People need to wake up.

@Bunny_On_The_Fritz@xanga - Thats a good look at it. :) So were basically getting the money back, sortof.

Let's not forget what throwing 47 million extra people (many of which are living in this country illegally) into our healthcare system would do to our hospitals and clinics.  Don't think for a second that Obama's plan won't result in rationing healthcare.  Not to mention the moral implications of insurance paying for abortions.  It's bad enough that the government already gives a portion of our tax dollars to pay for abortions, we don't need more of our hard-earned money going to pay for even more abortions through the universal healthcare system.

And you want to hear about healthcare horror stories?  Ask people who live in a country with a universal healthcare system about the care they receive.  Your baby's born with water on the brain?  We'll take a look at her in a year, of course by then, the damage will be irreversable, but we just can't squeeze her in any sooner.  Your grandmother needs a new hip?  Well, she's probably going to die soon anyways, so she'll just have to deal with the pain. 

Make no mistake, universal healthcare does not mean free healthcare for anyone except people that don't pay taxes - like people on welfare or those who are living here illegally.  Healthcare is not a right, it is a priveledge.     

@Ork58@xanga - AGREE AGREE AGREE AGREE....THANK YOU!

Would you people please stop your preaching about how great universal health care is, come out from underneath the rocks you're obviously living under and LOOK at the countries that already do this! I have friends that have DIED because cancer treatment took six months or more to get in to. I have heard horror stories. Health care will be rationed. Even if you do feel like getting off your ass and paying for the services you use, you won't be able to get them anyway!

Has anybody ever stopped to think about the fact that major protesters to this plan are doctors, nurses and hospital staff??? Think about THAT! We all know what this is going to do to health care. It's going to shove it down a toilet and flush. You think it would be great to be able to afford to see a doctor...well that's fine and dandy but the fact that when you finally can because another tax payer is shelling out money for you, you won't be able to get in to a doctor or surgeon because they'll all be overcrowded and underfunded.

So instead of coming in to see a doctor and then simply not paying for your bills, you (and your new handy dandy insurance plan) won't be able to see a doctor at all and possibly die due to trauma or disease while sitting in the month long wait list.

If universal health care passes, I'm dropping out of medical school and going on welfare.

if the money i pay for healthcare goes to the goverment rather than a private company then whatever.  It's worked well in other countries.  Canadians and UK citizens seem to like their systems.  Well whatever. Whatever happens happens. Although I will say this debate has sure brought out the crazies.  

@MissPixieGlitter@xanga - Definitely considering the option. I'm in the process of applying right now. This whole universal health care thing makes me think twice. Seriously. I've volunteered/worked in three hospitals in my area and we never deny care. Yeah, of course the hospital billing staff is going to get pissed if you don't pay...but they aren't a bank. You can't use a service and expect not to pay. That's like going to get gas and driving off....or going to an ATM and expecting it to just give you $20.

In my opinion and in most everyone's opinion that is knowledgable, the use of intricate health care (beyond just free clinics, reduced cost facilities and ER services) is a privilege you earn. You don't get denied emergency care in this country. Just because you can't get elective surgery or invasive cancer treatment for free doesn't mean we should all jump on to a boat to no treatment at all. That's what charities and programs are for that take care of the homeless and lower class individuals that can't afford to pay.

Doesn't anyone realize how horrible it's going to be? And how expensive. I already don't agree with tax money going to welfare, food stamp programs, etc.....why should I pay for someone's health insurance when they don't?

Look, all I can say is, I hope that something happens to all of you on both sides of the issue so you can see what's wrong/right with your views.  It isn't all black and white, and politicians are getting EVERYTHING PAID FOR!!!! (yet no one has complained about that!) but they're letting the peons fight amongst themselves.  Typical American politics (no, I've never been anywhere else, and we're talking about US healthcare, so don't tell me that other politicians are different!)

Positive: Everyone gets healthcare.

Negative: The U.S. gets one GIANT step closer to becoming a socialist nation.

I do NOT support universal healthcare. Got a problem with it? Move to Canada. They have universal heathcare there.