And exactly why should a business be forced to lose money?

Brian,

The insurance companies will never lose money. Maybe the CEO's will only get 2 million a year.

Seriously, I am hoping that things like this will force the medical industry to be more efficient. Most people don't know a 10th of it because they have not had serious illnesses. In total, the medical industry has got to be the most dis-jointed, wasteful industry of all.

IN MY OPINION

IMO.......testing, testing, testing....procedure, procedure, procedure......lawsuit, lawsuit, lawsuit....malpractice premiums, malpractice premiums, malpractice premiums......

Any mention of Trial Lawyers in the equation?

So according to the article this part of HCR may run out of money as early as 2011...

And you supporters of this HCR wondered why the MAJORITY of Americans were against this bill. Because we knew it was not sustainable from the start!!

Before some of you think this is a good deal you need to consider that the rest of us will be paying for this in the form of higher premiums and taxes. There is no free lunch, and with the government involved health care quality will suffer, and costs will skyrocket.

Neither health insurance nor health care is a right. They are services provided by people and companies who deserve to compensated for their expertise and assumed liability. Keep in mind that no one in this country was denied health care. Health care and health insurance are not the same thing.

We'll pay 33% more in premiums then get crappy, rationed care, regardless of the fact we are paying for premium care, plus 33%.

Then, we get soaked with another myriad of taxes to boot, from 53% increase in capital gains, 3% increase in regular rates, stopping mortgage interest deductions, and on and on, as far as the eye can see. It's a sham and a disgrace.

What we should be doing is working to reduce costs so everyone can afford insurance, not driving prices up by 33%, then soaking the uppper middle class dual income working families in expensive areas, to go from carrying a lion's share of the burden for the country, to almost the whole flipping thing. Pretty soon, we expect with taxation, confiscation and disqualification from participating in any of the programs we fund, we will simply have to send our own kids overseas for education if we want them to have one. Though, that may be a blessing in disguise when I see the college aged Obama idiots, who don't have a clue why his policies are so severely excacerbating this problem.

Brian, not only is the medical industry wasteful, it's coddled, protected, and, subsidized endlessly by all levels of government. Adding administrators of all stripes make the system ever more expensive. (Sounds like education at all levels, too.) Another egregious example of big business' "culture of entitlement."

Taking some lessons from the business Republicans and Ronald Reagan, Americans now want better returns from their funds. The right wing doesn't want such a belief to apply to medicine--they want medicine to be a no-brainer investment for rich contributors to park money, to offer free office supplies and Caribbean trips to physicians, and, to spin off a constant stream of mullah to right-wing (and some Democrat) political campaigns, as well as graft....

(And, if our physicians no longer wish to practice here under Medicare--let them practice elsewhere. Let's see if patients in their Caribbean hideouts and other favored foreign locales pay them as handsomely as we do here! The only thing pretty good here is the ER. Too often, expensive specialists just don't get it.)

When 47% of Americans pay no federal income taxes whatsoever there is something wrong. I think Paul Ryan's plan would be a good way to reform the IRS. 10% of the first $100,000 and 25% of everything over that. Each adult gets a $12,500 personal exemption and there is a credit of $3500 for each member of the family. So a family of 4 making $110,000 would pay $7100 in federal income tax. ($110,000 - $12,500 - $12,500 -4($3500)=$71,000. 10% of $71,000 is $7100.

For a family making $250,000: $250,000 - $39,000=$211,000 (net income)

10% of $100,000 = $10,000
25% of $111,000 = $27,500
Total Tax Bill: $37,500

While they only make a little more than twice what the first family example makes, they pay more than 5 times the amount in taxes. That fact alone should satisfy liberals who want to soak the rich.

How much would state take? They always soak me harder than the feds. I personally like the idea of a flat income tax. It is the only way to be truly fair. No exemptions, period. It is my choice how much I pay to charity, how many children I have, etc. . . Flat and fair (still haven't figured out how to make it work.)

On the surface, $575 sounds like a lot for a monthly premium.

However, the truth is that today, if a 50-year-old with pre-existing health conditions went shopping for a policy, that policy could easily go higher than $575 a month.

Health care is, indeed, very expensive. I do agree that health care is not a given right. I also feel that public education is not a right.

We should do away with any tax funds for public education, and funnel it towards health care. If you want children, great, but you should pay for their education.

Well, Go, I think alternative care often is much better than traditional (allopathic) care. The government and the American people have given into allopathic care so much, that it's now a jealously protected fiefdom. The best solution, I think, is to break up that fiefdom--not national health care. Nobody here gets it, certainly not Ron Paul. He won't destroy his stupid livelihood, I'll never vote for him since he clings to allopathic medicine.

You guys still have that stupid image in your heads of the cute little pigtailed girl and the distinguished, bespectacled old physician putting a tongue depressor in her mouth. Americans still take that stupid image to heart. The idea is that physicians will fix everything: I reject your idea of the over-weaning competence of traditional physicians: they simply went through hoops in med school, internship, and, residency--in a system that's stupid.

As Brian rightly says, most of you here haven't had a serious health concern. So, you don't get it. You won't get it until you're elderly--and, not many will care about you then--certainly not in the medical profession.

State taxes vary from state to state. If you don't like how much your state taxes, you can always move. I like a flat tax as well, but Paul Ryan's plan is a big step in that direction.

I love the idea of a flat tax. I'm fine with deductions for children, as long as we do away with the socialistic program of public education. Either one or the other. You can't have your cake and eat it too, right?

Education is funded in large part through property taxes, sales taxes, and (in most states) by state income taxes. Education is not a federal responsibility.

Cost over runs for a government program? Say it isn't so! Gullible people deserve the government they elect.

what's wrong with you people? do away with public education? Health is not a right? ok, which of you will make the decision about who lives and who dies? which one of you will take those who don't have money for health care out to the wilderness to die? really, what is wrong with you? don't any of you have a conscience or what is more likely none of you have experienced the overwhelming sadness and stress of dealing with a serious illness for yourself or a loved one. i don't get how so many people can be so cruel and thoughtless and act without so much as a modicum of conscience. YOU BET health is a right. why shouldn't it be? what kind of sick, viscious society just lets the sick die and only the rich get to live? what kind of people would stand by and watch someone suffer and die when they knew they could do something about it? is your money so important to you that you would sell your soul to keep it?

the truth is if the democrats had got the health program they wanted we would be one step away from universal health care. why not let everyone pay a little and we share the care. why is it such a horrible thing to think that you might just be able ease the pain and suffering of someone just by sharing a little of your money. it's disgusting to see how selfish the readers are here. i barely get by on my income, but i would glady pay into a cooperative that would guarantee health care to everyone. maybe if we had had universal health care, my father would still be alive. we couldn't AFFORD to get him the care he needed, so he died. i guess to most of you here, that's OK! what the hell. maybe my best friend would be alive. but, she was not contributing to society anymore because she was sick. to listen to all of you, the minute someone gets sick, if they don't have any money, we should take them out and shoot them.

as far as public education, i'll agree it sucks because our children are being under educated, history is being whitewashed and believe me, it isn't FREE. just ask any parent who has to pay for practically everything. but, you what, we're already raising a generation of kids that will be less intelligent and less able to compete in the world work force, now you're suggesting that we make sure we fall into the status of third world country by bringing up a populace of idiots. i know what you're suggesting. that if you have the MONEY, there's that ugly word again, your kids get a decent education and if you don't, your kids stay stupid! so, then we have an entire segment of our population that can barely read and writer. well, that'll help the economy won't it? i guess they can all become the indentured servants to all the huge businesses out there that are working as hard as they can to create a country of part-time employees willing to work for slave wages. and meanwhile, all the rich people can turn their nose down at them while they live off the breaking backs of these worker bees.

one of the MOST important things that our founding fathers wanted was that all children should have available to them. it took over 150 years to make that happen and you want to destroy it. it just floors me that so many people here think that helping people is somehow, socialist and therefore EVILLLLLL!!!!!! OOOOOOHHHHH! the problem with money in this country is NOT the social programs, it is the beauracracy itself. our congress gave itself a raise during this recession. that's one small example. a big one, that our government is in bed with big business and most of them and their ceos and their executives pay next to nothing in taxes compared to you and me. we are addicted to oil and most of congress have their hands in oil's pocket. we could have been living in a green country two decades ago, the technology was there, but the oil companies, and the energy companies used their power to keep the funding at a standstill. right now today, we are on the edge of a technological explosion that could get us off oil for good within 10 years. of course, if we stop educating our kids so they can work in those industries and remian on that cutting edge, it will take forever. and that's just how the rich and powerful want it.

so, i guess i can only assume that those of you who would, with malice and forethought, watch people die because they were poor and would rather we had an entire generation of idiot kids, are part of the very rich. either that or you are so sadly misinformed. i actually read about this stuff, the science, history, our forefathers. i don't just sit here and say things i don't know anything about. we could fix the problems in our country but it would take some cooperation from everyone, and i guess that isn't going to happen. greed isn't part of the equation.

Beautifully said! Alessa my sentiments exactly...From experience I have a very sick father who worked his whole life, luckily we have insurance and we can afford the premiums but it scares me to death to think that had we not, everything he and my mother worked for the past 30 years would be gone between medical expenses and the like. I see how expensive our medical system is, its truly out of control. I had a $4,000 ER visit this year from dehydration from a food poisoning, thanks to insurance it was covered but what if it wasn't...I had 3 IV bags and sat in a hallway for 4 hours.

I, too, read history. I also am of the belief that equal opportunity doesn't equate to equal results. I would also venture to guess that most CEOs pay way more in actual dollars in taxes than most Americans earn when you consider that they pay more in property tax and sales tax simply by living in more expensive homes and buying more stuff. If there is a price to be put on having the privilege of being an American citizen, shouldn't each citizen who expects to have those privileges contribute to the support of government? And speaking of education, I don't know very many wealthy people (the POTUS included and others before him) who send their children to public schools. And don't say it is because of security - it isn't. Their children weren't in public schools before they were elected. We all want the best for our families. It's just some of us are willing to accept that others can afford more without thinking that those who can somehow owe others who cannot a free ride. And again, it isn't greed to want to keep what one earns.

It's just some of us are willing to accept that others can afford more without thinking that those who can somehow owe others who cannot a free ride. And again, it isn't greed to want to keep what one earns.

should have read

It's just some of us are willing to accept that others can afford more without thinking that those who can somehow afford more owe others who cannot a free ride. And again, it isn't greed to want to keep what one earns.

Health care is a right now? We’ve made the leap to demanding health care for everyone as a right. This is predictable behavior from the left. Working people are left to figure out how to pay for your right to health care. The country is bankrupt, for Gods sake! The country can’t afford to meet it needs as it is. Now we have a line forming demanding their right to health care.

If this isn’t socialism, I don’t know what is. This looks very similar to the public employees in Greece rioting because the country has the audacity to declare that it can no longer afford to fund their massive social programs. Countries around the world are making difficult fiscal decisions and we have people in this country demanding health care as a right.

Mikie

do you think the government needs to be more efficient?..."Most people don't know a 10th of it"...including most liberal demo-socialists

David: Thank you for your post. You are spot on.

so equal opportunity means screw everyone who can't keep up and kill those who get in the way. and if you can't afford edcuation for your kids you're just supposed to accept that well, there are people who can and so well, they must be better than us and they deserve more than we do. that's the way the Romans looked at their people. didn't work out so well for them. that's the way the french aristocricy thought about their people. oops. wrong again. oh! and then there were the russians. i love what happened to that idea of the rich thumbing their nose at the poor. i'm not suggesting that everyone in the country has to make the same amount of money. there will always be poor and there will always be rich. but, in a country that puts so much credence on being better than that, your attitude is sorely lacking. when a country stops caring about the poor, the poor rise up. what do you think finally broke the soviet union? politics? the common workers finally had enough of a government that didn't care about them and instead did everything it could to keep the poor down.

speaking of equal opportunity, if we are to really believe in that creedence, then it only goes that our children MUST have the 'equal opportunity' to compete with one another in the work force that they will be entering. if one child is denied the education that will enable him to get a decent job, then how does HE have equal opportunity? at the very least, we must take care of our kids. and if you only care about your own children, you're doing them a disserve. they will have to live in your world where more children than not never get an education. do you REALLY think that that would be a better place than one in which ALL children are given the same chance? Really? i don't decry anyone wanting to keep their own money. i actually think that we don't give enough money to the government, i believe it isn't distributed correctly. too much of it is going to companies and groups that don't need it. and i really believe that we would all get to keep more of our money if we had for example a universal health care system that eveyone paid into. just think about it: if every man, woman and child in this country were to pay $1 a month, that would be $309,000,000 a month. muliply that times 12. that would be 4 billion, five hundred eighteen million $. now, lets say we all paid $10 a month. 10x309 millionx12. and now do that will $100 a month. yeah, people with more children would have to pay more, but we could put caps on what any one family would have to pay. $100x309=30,900,000,000. a month. but right now, some people pay and some people don't and some companies pay and some don't. and those that pay have to carry those who don't. tell me how that's better than everyone paying the same amount. i mean, the truth is, we wouldn't have to pay that much. the problem IS the way the money is distributed AND the insurance industry's strangle hold on us. they are worse than the mafia. they extort money from us for medicore care with the threat that if we don't pay, we will die. and then if we commit the crime of getting sick and it turns out to cost too much, they let us dies anyway! tell me that's better than universal health care.

Alessa: bullcrap.

first of all, there will always be those who earn more and those who earn less. but 'poor' and 'rich' are far more relative. if the dollar's purchasing power is the same as today, and i made a million while everyone else made a billion, I'd still be able to buy a million dollars' worth of stuff - in other words while I might be 'poor' by comparison in absolute terms i'm VERY 'rich' in quality of life terms

the fact is today that Americans are getting 'poorer' because we are becoming complacent to our culture of entitlement - that some things are just 'deserved' for the mere fact that we exist. in fact, it is your plan that causes rationing.

• let me explain this: everybody will die someday. the fact that we cannot get over this causes us to spend thousands - millions in treatments that just 'extend life' a bit. the simple thing is, if you can afford it, it's your choice. if you can't, you can budget. you can choose to work harder in life earlier (and potentially even die earlier from stress) or you can choose to be a leech and in that case, you go with that and hope for the best
• also, health care is not a right despite the liberals in the "U.N" it is somebody else slaving and using all talents they have all to take care of YOUR ass! this means somebody else has to give it to you! you have no right to demand it from others!

finally, your culture of entitlement only creates new poor and raises costs. because half of america is living off others they are too lazy to work and put their talents to use. this enslaves the smarter and talented individuals to come up with those very medical innovations that lower the cost for all of us! then we have the gall to turn around, demand this from them, and demand they enslave themselves just to lower our costs to feed our culture of entitlement, without even giving fair compensation!

Also if you force 'sharing' of health costs what happens is there are two people: the payers, and the leeches/receivers/deadweight. the problem is, when you do this it is advantageous to be a deadweight. guess what? suddenly everyone is dumb and everyone's a deadweight! then nobody will pay, because nobody could, and we see poverty like never before!

think a little before preaching those sob stories!

just getting started and they are already running short.

shoulda used the new math when they were estimating.

of course there will be some who can not afford it. if it were free they would still complain. that is why this plan will fail misserably. those who can barely afford it will milk it dry just like every other govrnment program.

if you keep putting sugar on the ground the ants will keep coming.

Here is the other big expense coming our way thanks to Mr. Obama. He is going to push for amnesty for the the 20 million illegal aliens. Now do you people think they can afford to pay $400.00 minimum a month? Do you actually think they are in good health?

Genlo - you have nothing to be embarrssed about. The insurance company's are given his blessing to put the scr__'s to us. You can't seem to get what anyting cost in the medical area. I have no problem when they want to charge thousands of dollars for simple test and do not give me the option of discussing what it cost prior to testing ...it's on them. I will negotiate every time.

The government is reducing the amount they reinburse doctors - and yet the insurance company's are promised we will all have to buy insurance. Obama at his finest.

Alessa, I think you need to look at it from a different perspective.

Would you consider that food, shelter, and clothing are even more important than healthcare? I definitely would, without those in some form, access to healthcare is the least of your problems as without food you're dead and in about 80% of the country if you don't have clothing or shelter you're dead too. These are called basic necessities for a reason. Yet despite the fact that these are far more important than healthcare, there are no federal laws that requires these items to be bought and given to all those in need. There are programs to help yes, but they are not required to help everyone.

When the founding fathers created this nation, they most definitely had homeless, those that were starving, and those that couldn't properly cloth themselves. Yet they did not provide any laws to address this. Instead they made sure that the government would provide the framework that everyone had at least a chance to do well in life. They never thought that it was the government's place to guarantee it. If they were alive today, all of them would say that healthcare is a privilege, not a right, same as food, clothing, and shelter. They would say that unfortunately bad things happen and that inequity is part of life.

This isn't being mean or uncaring. Don't mistake that. They knew as most people today know that there will always be a significant portion of the population that if everything is given to them, they would have no incentive to contribute back to the community and they wouldn't. It's not fair for some people to work for other peoples lifestyle which they didn't earn.

Bad things do happen, lots of bad luck, but there are plenty of programs, charities, organizations to help people get back on their feet...and that is a good thing that I support. But it shouldn't be a free ride forever.

Mitchell

wow I kind of just was skimming through people's posts i am bad with attention span , anywhoo I am kind of shocked well more saddened than shocked. Public education should not be a right? if your putting sugar on the ground I just can't get over how many selfish narcissistic people there are.
I don't believe there should be universal health care unless it is for emergencies and for people who are citizens and in need of a moderate term supplemental insurance.

But i have to say it hurts me to see people like kevin saying about our entitlement issues etc and people complaining about losers who don't work God forbid you loose your job or something horrible happens to you that you can't work Then people can say when your in the hospital without insurance that oh well people die sometime.

My father worked thirty nine yrs and was laid of thank god he has a name where we live and was able to find a job at his age but he busted his ass his whole life to make sure we had food, shelter and paid alot of taxes for other people This is happening daily, then these hard working men are suddenly acting "entitled" because they have no choice to go get unemployment or welfare to feed there families.

My brother who is thirty eight and was always healthy and an athlete almost died last yr with diabetic shock, he owns his own business but almost lost everything because of how much his medication costs. I guess him wanting to be able to afford life sustaining medicine is entitlement.

I am grateful I grew up in America and yes I do now there are people who do take advantage and giving amnesty to all illegals like that makes me want to vomit where the hell will that money come from?

Can illegal aliens get welfare? Just curious.

I also think that if people are getting welfare or ssdi or unemployment they should be required to volunteer once a week and welfare recipients should be required to get drug tested for heavy drugs like cocaine and heroin.

I know it is hard our world is kind of falling apart around us but remember someday you might be the one who needs those crumbs hopefully there will be some there for you.

*if republicans have so much more than everybody else then the answer is simple.

why doesn't everybody become a republican. then we will all have more than we need.

yes, under the current plan illegal aliens will be covered under the healthplan.

if i am not mistaken this will be done by making them all legal first.

This health care mess is a result of dem senators like Baccus and Dodd protecting the insurance companies. I can't think of any senators and only two or three congressmen who are actually for the people. THe rest are bought and paid for by big corporations including insurance and hospital corporations.

While agree with what you say about Good health,

One should be aware that health is a state of total well being... social, physical, mental, etc. It is not just the absence of illness and disease... Health, good health, and the care of it is a right not a privilege...

Why then do we abuse our bodies so much. Should we not take some of the responsibility to take care of ourselves and our bodies. Then perhaps we would not need to use the health insurance.

Hate to break the bad news to you alessa, but it won't cost "a little" as you claim. It's going to cost A LOT!! And the costs will continue to rise. We will have a health-care bubble just like the housing bubble. The problem with helping others is that often that help enables destructive behavior. Take a look around you. How many really obese people do you see? I would bet a lot. How many people do you see speeding and running redlights? I bet a lot. Who is willing to make the decision to end things when costly efforts to keep someone alive give them only a few more days or weeks and/or absolutely no quality of life. Remember Terry Schiavo? No one wants to make the hard decision about pulling the plug, letting go or even taking personal responsibility for making better health choices. Until that time comes, I DON"T WANT TO PAY FOR IRRESPONSIBILITY!!!!! Enabling is no more of a positive moral choice than helping.

I'll make an offer to all of you who feel that everyone dies sometime and they should just put up with medical problems because they cannot afford the procedures that might make their lives a little more bearable.

Come on down here to Coupland Texas and put a gun muzzel between my daughters eyes and pull the trigger. If you have the balls to do this you will be doing her a favor. I will buy the bullet so you will not have to spend any money. Travel expenses are your responsibility. You can look at it as a hunting vacation.

health insurance and actual health care are two different things...I have health insurance but as it is only a discount coupon I still couldn't afford the actual end cost of the healthcare if something really bad happened even with the fancy insurance premiums, nor could any of the currently uninsured...so what are we really doing here?

Are you getting the picture, medical costs! It is unreasonable the costs associated with medical care, why is it so we allow and encourage it. The costs you see on medical bill are plainly absurd, why do they get away with IT, government!!~ tHE MEDICAL industry went ridiculous when medicare came into being, the first sign of government socialism. When people cared about what they paid hospitals ,doctors, were questioned by people paying. With medicare and affordable supplements patients no longer watched prices, look at medical inflation for past 50 years. The government has done away with competition beginning with medicare, medicaid included, show me one thing government involved with that's not ruined. Socialism doesn't work.

Here's the juicy part. Listening to all the Obama-Lama-Ding-Dong lemmings squeal. You asked for it, you got it.

just when i thought obamacare was going to be the answer to my health concerns ---- this is bad news for me --- no way i can afford the $400 per month, or the deductible or co-pay.

I pay that much now...actually a bit more 635$/mo. It's worth paying a bit more not having to take a number behind a clinic slam full of Medicade patients with pre-paid cell phones, gold chains and pimped out BMW'S.........Should anything go wrong, then the Trial Lawyers break in line.

Where's the beef??

Premium and coverage sound similar to the options I get for "good work provided insurance." Luckily, I don't have to take it. I think health care is just too expensive period. Don't personally have a solution to fix it yet. . .

Trial Lawyer Season....unlimited bag limit.

i'd rather pay 6 or 700.00 a month and not have to include the government in my plans.

One helluva 'Catch'! Can't say it's very surprising though. People who didn't see this coming were living in a dream.

I suspect there will be lots and lots of 'dreamers' learning how to file for medical bankruptcy once the smoke clears.

Check the cost for a 50 year old, preexisting like cancer or heart disease and $7,000 a year is a buy but we should have had single payer and stop the obscene profits of the medical corporate industry.

Dodd and Bacuss wrote the bill to protect their insurance corporation buddies. Sold us out!!

or a 20 something quoted at 1,800 per month and would have to pay it for a year before coverage would even take effect.

Watch out for them conservatives, its unconstitutional to save lives. It doesn't say in the constitution that people should live healthy.

i have a 21 year old and he got insurance relatively cheap with no wait.

Seriously, Good for your boy! Does he have two prexisting conditions? And if so please tell me the carrier!

no pre existing conditions. healthey works out has a good job how about yours.

This is what is wrong with America. There is no continuity of care or price of health insurance in this country. Many people here are being quoted way different amounts of money. What we need is health care reform, not BS.

See..the 2 idiots (Pelosi and Reid) were not lying too much: you have to read it first.

options are good, as long as they don't increase the tax burden on everyone else.

exactly ---- as i predicted, even with this new program, i still won't be able to afford healthcare premiums. ---- and yet, while they were preparing to pass this law, they were trying to convince the public that this program was necessary in order to cover those with pre-existing conditions --- this program won't help me at all, as expected.

Ah, but remember, you will be fined if you don't pay. How does that work. I guess I'll have to ask Nancy about that. She must have the answer, because she had that grin from cheek to cheek when this bill was passed.

i watched while a constitutional lawyer on tv read the portion of the bill concerning the 'requirement' to pay. i can't remember it verbatim, but what it said was that people would be required to be covered, but, there would be no penalty for not having coverage; no penalty, no jail...it's a hype. he read the paragraph directly from the completed bill. so, they aren't going to force anyone to pay or put you in jail. and while you're all bashing obama, keep in mind that he want a public option...the republicans forced it out by threatening to filibuster the bill. the republicans demanded changes that ultimately made this bill and shell of its original self. maybe you all should go back to watch reruns on c-span and see who actually turned this bill into a fiasco. maybe we, the people, should demand that congress quit trying to one-up each other, stop demonizing each other and start working FOR us, not FOR the insurance industry. we should stop voting for those people who work with the insurance industry and not for us.

Alessa,

The Republicans could not filibuster the HCR Bill. The Democrats had a 60 to 40 filibuster proof majority. They could have passed whatever President Obama wanted. The problem was that the Democrats could not get all 60 senators to go along with the president.

As for the mandatory purchase of health insurance under the new law...it is clearly in there. The government, in their defense in support of the mandate, stated that it was constitutional under the "commerce" clause.

Please consider......not ALL, but more than you may think. People do make their choices.

Bubba is damn sure going to have his 60" wide screen complete with the nascar package. And you better believe he will have a lift kit with bead lock tires on his Mud Dog. And for sure he will be slamming an 18 pack of Bud-Lite cussing anyone who passes Dale Jr. (which is quite a few) on Sunday.

Also consider, Bubba's wife is gonna be laying up in some tanning booth even though they're in the sunny south. Junior is going to have the 4 wheeler, and Sister is going to have unlimited text messaging.

A backhoe operators wages can't have this AND insurance too. I'ts a simple choice.

and that's considering they don't have a stand up swimming pool behind the double wide.

i am not a GOP'er, but wasn't part of the hype before this law was passed that more of the uninsured with pre-existing conditions would be able to obtain coverage ??? --- what good is the coverage if it's not affordable ??? --- the deductible alone as mentioned in this article would be a problem for me.

Why not increase the retirement age to 70? People are living longer and social security was never meant to be a sole source of income upon retirement. And as long as those who have pre-existing conditions pay for their insurance, then I think its great that they can get coverage. However, in many states there are already high risk pools for those who have pre-existing conditions who haven't been covered in a qualified plan.

Bubba is damn sure going to have his 60" wide screen complete with the nascar package

Damn right! We also have our confederate battle flags flying on the front porch.

I rest my case.

Thats a good one Wayne. Love me some rednecks.........

LOL were talking Health care and it goes to rednecks way to stay on target.

If you have been disabled for 8 years, then you qualified for Medicare about 6 years ago. Have you applied?

USA have you been threw Social Security's Disability?? It pays about $800/month (based on how much you have contributed (no more then $1000/month). You need to be on SSI for over a year to qualify for Medicare (If disabled!)! Then what the Social Security Office considers a disability is another whole mess of hot steamy crap!! A lower back problem is not a 100% disability; therefore, the government would not give anybody 1 red cent!

Yes. I have worked with people with hemophilia/AIDS and have assisted in the paperwork process. You have to have been on Social Security due to a disablility not SSI (for the very poor) for 24 months before you are eligible. My comments were only in regard to the fact that you said you had been disabled for 8 years. I guess I took your words to mean that you had been classified as disabled by the Social Security Administration.

you do realize that this will be rationed medicine meaning that they are going to tell you how many times you can go to the doctor to be treated for a particular problem. when you meet your quota your time is up.

And what the he!! do you have now with the insurance companies???????????

mike --- that is what i have been wondering ---- i have been asking around, and i am not the only one who will have difficulty coming up with $400 per month.

$400 per month is less than most people spend on a car payment, cable, cell phone plan, and internet each month. It is all a matter of priorites.

i spend about $25 per month on my cellphone --- don't have any of the others ---- i have already pared down my lifestyle to the bare essentials.

Do you qualify for Medicaid? If you have paid your taxes all these years, there is no shame in using the safety net temporarily. Have you looked into it? I truly am not trying to be snotty. I just don't think that HCR is reform as much as I think it is an overreach by government. I wish you all the best.

Yes USA my family and I did! For my family of 4 in S. Cali, we need to make less then $924/ month to get the minimum Medical Coverage offered here!

It is a joke. Also they would not let me (A MAN) apply! My wife had to file (After 2 days in the Welfare line in Pomona California, I found this out( Watching all these poor hispanics talking and laughing on there IPhones in line!)!).

Yes Mike they are! Read the Bill (SORRY THE LAW!).

I do agree that many people can adjust priorities and buy health care at $575 a month.

But some can't. I'm concerned that those people who need it most won't get anything at all. And isn't that the problem today? Are we back where we started?

(PS, I haven't voted democrat or republican since 1992.)

The story mentioned that for "low income" families the premiums can be further suplimented. Sign up and see. If you currently do not have isurance and they get you to 500.00 or less you are way ahead. I gave up mine at 1600.00 per month. ( Heart Disease & High Blood Pressure ) Both of my ailments where inherited.

I realize that there is no perfect plan. I also realize that change is what was needed and perhaps additional change will be required. All is better than doing nothing. Everyone talks about cost. During the debate I kept hearing the statistic about 50% of bankrupcies in America were health related. What is that cost? I personally know two widows who lost everything in the final two weeks of thier husbands lives.

I am glad we have change. I now have hope.

Sob stories are sad, granted. And no one likes to hear about "widows" who lose everything in the last two weeks of their husbands' lives. (Parentheses were added because if their husbands were still alive, then technically, they weren't widows when they lost everything.) But the reality is that with liberty comes great responsibility. I am convinced that personal liberty demands personal responsibility. One can be free or one can be beholden. I know that sounds heartless and I don't mean it to. It just really kills me when the bankruptcy statistic is thrown in there. There are no real stats to support it as their is nobody gathering that kind of data. I will concede that medical bills are listed as outstanding bills contributing to the filing, but I will not concede that medical bills alone contribute to 50% of bankruptcies.

I will state that reforms were needed and even with the passage of this law, they still are. However, what was passed was not reform. It was a monumental overreach of the federal government.

Disgruntled: I can assure that the entire country doesn't worship money or power. It can seem that way when you read some of these posts. Most people in this country are good people who given the opportunity would help their neighbors. What has people in a bother (myself included) is the way in which this whole thing was done. It is not reform. It is governmental overreach and an abuse of federal power. Hang in there.

They could get healthcare if they had a job!! It always worked for me! First time without Insurance in 20 years. Thanks Obama, now your going to force me to spend more then ever! A$$ Whole

Go usa nice post. I do get disgusted with so many people saying All American's are lazy, spoiled, money hungry, I grew up in a family who busted there asses there whole lives . My mom and dad started with nothing and worked sometimes two jobs and raised three children . we were poor for along time growing up but not destitute,

My dad is now retired but he works at my brother's store and my mom could get ssi but she would rather work although she has osteoporosis, My dad worked nine hours a day in a hot factory with a press and on weekends volunteered at the state prison umping baseball games for inmates.

I am disabled I almost lost my leg and couldnt walk for four yrs and have a bone disease, but I volunteer with elderly, spca and the probation office,

My girlfriend met a man from africa and he moved here although I can see how he believes some americans are lazy but whrn he said that to me I kind of wanted to spit on him (just a thought) since I know he made his money by conning women online (my girlfriend knows but is stupid i think) and me my parents and brother sent alot of money to haiti

Oh well I love usa as well and I am proud of my family and I am neither republic or democrat just a person who wants a good world for when my one yr old son grows up.

In California this insurance will only cover 15% of the perscription costs! For somebody like me who is a Type 1 diabetic I will be forced to pay over $500/month, and an additional $500/month for my medicine! Why have insurance? This is no savings to me. This is more costs to stay alive!

I thought, I would pass this info on to all: Anyone can go to the Costco Pharmacy and get their perscription filled. They do not have to be a member. (Government) All you have to do is tell the person up front you are going to the pharmacy dept. You can also check the price on line too.. Their prices are usually less than the local drug stores. I hope this may help some. Also, try asking your doctor to let you use mail order for at least a 3 month supply.

Too many people cannot find work, they are loosing their homes and they cannot afford to pay 575 or more a month. I wish I had a solution. Obama is going to bury us.

THANK YOU!!! that's exactly what I've been saying, not just about the drug costs but the entire treatment....I've had fantastic insurance for the last 12 years and it is still a crap shoot every time I see the Doc, never know what is covered and for how much till the bill arrives

Insurance is nothing more that a discount coupon....if you can't afford at least 25% of whatever is ailing you, you're screwed

It isn't greed to want to keep what one earns. It is, however, envy, to want for oneself what has been earned by another.

MSNBC wrote this story! MSNBC is owned by GE! GE is one of Obamas largest financial supporters!

This is not about letting something work. This is about pipe dreams that have no way of working! This bill did nothing to limit the costs of insurance premiums or medicine costs.

Why the insult? You can disagree without name calling.

Really?? Is it assine to want to earn money to live on, and actually keep it?? I wonder who the nut really is!?

Some could argue that America as a country and the "Wealthiest" country in the world...

Perhaps we all have earned basic healthcare. Who deserves to die because they didn't earn enough money?

I disagree with Go USA and feel that his focus on his earnings rather then the collective well being of our country is heartless at the surface. I suspect if real, his concerns are more about his standard of living and his ability to retain as much of his personal income as possible.

If the new Health Care System LAW is broken we will fix it. Change was required. We will afford and we will reduce the cost of medical care, simply because we have no other choice.

Collective well being of the country? Really? What happened to personal responsibility? We are guaranteed the right to liberty including the accumulation of wealth. It is really what set America apart from England. Property could be earned through the labor and not through birthright. For government to be able to step in a take what one has earned without due process or just compensation is against the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution.

And for your heartless comment, I am of the belief that one cannot legislate compassion. You don't know me (or others on Newsvine, for that matter) at all and have no idea about my family's level of charity.

Here is a link to an article about where the government should sit with charity.

http://joeiraqi.newsvine.com/_news/2010/04/15/4162668-how-charitable-are-we-on-tax-day

I agree with USA that compassion should be the responsibility of an individual, not the government.

When the "wealthy" (a small fraction of the population) have accumulated over 90% of the nations wealth, and those families grow stronger and wealthier with each generation, through "safe" (golden parachutes and the like) investments, how is an average citizen ever to compete?

There are some brilliant and hard working people in this country that can and do move up the ladder of society, and those people will always be able to take care of themselves, and do not need assistance to watch their backs. But unfortunately the vast majority (poor education does not help) will not have the chance or the ability to move up from the station that they are born to. These are the people that are also the backbone of the nation, they make up the largest part of what is actually produced, yet they receive the smallest portion when that production is converted to a dollar value. They are not being looked after, nor do they have the money to have someone look after them, as do the upper class.

I for one would rather trust a broken down crooked government that is supposed to be accountable to the people, thana class that for the large part inherited their wealth and is only accountable to their own pocket book.

What is all this fear mongering about social programs? It is evil, it can only fail?

THE LARGEST SOCIAL PROGRAM TO EVER EXIST IS THE USA'S MILITARY!

Don't be a hypocrite, down with all social programs with one breath and praise the US Military might with the other.

As people of this great nation the choice is ours to make, continue to give the power to a wealthy elite class, or give the government a chance. I for one am frightened that it is not going to work, and that the trust bestowed to the government is going to backfire. The problem is that this system was breaking down before these proposed reforms, better to grab at grass when falling off a cliff than to just scream and shout that it is not right, but do nothing. Worse, try to cut the hands off at the wrist as they clutch at grass.

Last point, the morale issue of whether health care is a right or a privilege.

Again it is our choice to make. I would rather live in a society that cares about each other, cares about cultural development and education, arts and freedoms, than one of coldness, fear of others taking from me, a society of greed.

People that believe that way is what's good in the world.My thoughts exactly!

And there are many of those people, who were not ever one without a job before. Specially in S. Cal. No work here and getting far worse in construction!

DE - what about contacting the drug company direct and ask for their help? Some drug company's will help and discount the cost. It certainly wouldn't hurt to ask.

Not just a cell phone. My point was that many people who do without insurance do so by choice. They spend that much money elsewhere on things not so essential or they simply choose to save it.