>In 2008 enrollment in Medicare was 44 million people.
>In 2008 Medicare was budgeted $325 billion.
>
>That's $7386 per participant.
>
>Extrapolated to include all 300 million Americans would mean that the 2008 budget requirement would need to be $2.2 trillion.
>
>Medicare doesn't come close to covering all health costs and this simple calculation doesn't include medicaid nor private supplemental plans which are concurrently used.
>
>Can someone please explain to me how gullible we citizens are supposed to be to believe that State-sponsored universal coverage will not bankrupt this nation? Mind you our entire 2008 budget was $2.66 trillion with a deficit of $240 billion.

THATS WHY WE HAVE TO HURRY AND PASS THIS - BEFORE SOMEONE SEES THE MATH!!!!!

The kool-aid line is to the left.

You obviously need the super sized cup.

(I would put "<g>" after that, since it is a half hearted attempt at humor, but methinks that none of us will see anything but gallows humor in this 12-18 mos from now.)