The problem with the insurance system today is the EXTREME punishments paid out for EMOTIONAL damages and the fees collected by lawyers that EXCEED 1/3 of the total reward given to the victim! Due to the worry over these huge payouts, every insurance company has to increase their premiums to simply stay afloat!!! Today I paid my monthly health insurance bill and ate a baby, and I thought to myself, HOW MUCH LOWER WOULD MY BILL BE IF MY NEIGHBORS WEREN'T CONSTANTLY SUING FOR EXTREME DAMAGES THAT ARE BREAKING THE SYSTEM???

The cost of insurance is based on the cost of what is insured. The cost of health care in this country has been sky rocketing for decades but no one is willing to look at why or how to correct that. Obamacare is all about insurance. Well, as the cost of care goes up no matter who is running the plan one of three things MUST happen. Either the amount of what is covered has to go down, or the amount collected (premiums or taxes) has to go up, or you run an ever growing deficit (the most likely DC choice).

Do what needs to be done to bring down the cost of care and you will bring down the cost of insurance. Too bad I can't get a single elected official to take up this issue.

Once again, the responsible pay for the irresponsibility of others.

Yes because a few bags of IV solution to fix the dehydration cost far more than a lifetime of insulin and nitroglycerin pills for the diabetic and heart diseased person who never moved off the couch except to grab another bag of potato chips from the cupboards.

and this is why i avoid exercise whenever possible!

Yes, because the MILLIONS of obese people that go to the hospital every year have no effect on our health care prices, its all the healthy people's fault.

The heat probably fried their brain already.

Damn exercise nuts.... causing insurance companies to raise their rates even higher

nahh. insurance company is gonna be insurance company.

oh whats this? cancer? guess we'll have to raise your rates!
broken arm? guess we'll have to raise your rates!
acne? guess we'll have to raise your rates!
wearing a red shirt on a tuesday night when its not full moon? guess we'll have to raise your rates!

I do the same as you...simply slow the pace, take some fluids, perhaps run a less hilly route in the heat.....no babies to snack on though..funny!!

I too run everyday, slow your pace, drink fluids, and dont run as far..................... problem solved!

Awesome isnt it!

You snack on a BABY? Wow, talk about child abuse!

Here in FL where our winters are all of 2 weeks long, most will excercise either early in the morning or after the sunsets.

Iwouldn't call those who sustain heat injury irresponsible, maybe just unedcuated in taking preventative measures.

Many don't realize that dehydration is an accumulative heat injury, meaning it can slowly occur for days until your body can no longer compensate. Excercising in the heat can be the final straw for many. For all of you who excercise regulary, including myself, we need to drink water throughout the day, even during rest. Not an hour or so before your event or just during your event, throughout the day. Gatorade alone will not help you, you need to drink straight water. You also need to eat healthy food with "some" sodium and electrolites. Not too much or your body will flush them out with excess amounts of water. Tomorrow I plan on going on a 50 mile bike ride; it's going to be pretty hot so I've been drinking extra fluids to prepare along with fruits and vegtables and protien. I've done this so many times in the past, even in the Florida summer and have yet to have problems with heat injury.

Snack on a baby???!!!! Um, certainly you meant to say something else; just curious, what do you actually snack on? :P

You can't legislate intelligence.

Apparently we can't elect intelligence either.

That's all we need, big brother telling us when and where we can excercise.

That was strictly "tongue and cheek" Carolyn. Too bad that anyone would have to think I was serious. That's how drastic things have become in the States! That is... someone would really think it's a good idea!

don nielson,

I would not recommend going to an emergency room. I've only been to one once, and it cost me over $1,200 only half of which my insurance paid. And that was for only about 2 hours in the emergency room most of which time was spent just waiting to be seen and vomiting. The next time I think of going to an emergency room, I think I'll just opt for death instead. It's less painful that way.

don, As opposed to the democrat plan which requires us to pay for all uninsured regardless of whether they go to the hospital or not! Read the bill and you'll know whats in it! lol

don - Glad to see your partisanship on full display and you making comments that defy common sense and simple reasoning.

So, when you are out exercising and suffer a heat injury you go home, call your doctor and make an appointment for a couple days from now right? I'm glad to see you plan these things out. i suppose before you fall down the stairs and break and ankle you already have your appointment set up.

Get a brain! Heat injuries come on quickly which is why you go to the ER. You would probably know that if you weren't so busy trying to make yourself look clever by posting a political talking point.

don - clearly you don't have any medical expertise here. True - for most people, you can see the signs of dehydration early and can do something about it. However, for some people, it will hit hard and fast, and you NEED emergency care. I've seen people get so dehydrated that when they try to drink water, they just puke it back up. Once you're at that point, you can get violent shaking, go unconscious, and it just gets worse from there. But according to you, they don't need emergency care?

Doesn't matter if you're a Republican or a Democrat, if you are suddenly unconscious, chances are you'd like someone to be there to provide services for you.

SHHHH! If a Congressman reads that he'll demand money to form a new commission.

Don't say that out loud, then BB guns will go to recreation heaven to join the yard darts.

Nah, the Opthomologist's lobby will make sure they stay.

As will you, not to mention osteoarthritis of the knees and hips. Please do it if it turns you on, but please also don't tell others how to live.

Since in 2007 there were an estimated 116.8 million ER visits, these heat related visits account for 0.005% of the total. Not minimizing the tragedy of a young high school football player dying because the coach is dumber than dirt or too testosterone driven to let them drink water, just adding a little perspective.

Of all the years I worked in the ER, I've seen far more drug/alcohol over doses and diabetes ailments than patients from heat injury. The majority heat injury patients normally get a few bags of IV solution then sent home with some basic care instructions that cost far less than the previously mentioned ailments.

Tim-

So that excuses exercise nuts who don't know how to throttle back in extreme heat?

And that makes illness from excessive heat less dangerous how?

If you don't bring enough water with you and don't stop for refreshment then yeah, I could definitely see that. Even if it's not that active, you're still outside in the elements and you still need to hydrate.

This is one sport you'll never catch me playing though. If you don't mind foul language, Robin Williams has a hilarious stand-up skit about the origins of golf.