>>>>>>Are you using main stream media for real examples????
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Here is one for you. My mom is 85. I have to take her sometimes to the ER. Average waiting time 4-5 hours.
>>>>>
>>>>>Here's 2 for you.
>>>>>
>>>>>My grandfather passed a couple years back at age 91. After age 85 or so, there were many trips to many doctors, a couple hospital stays and a couple ambulance rides. Very little waiting.
>>>>>
>>>>>My great aunt (his sister, good genes ;) ) is currently 91, makes a few trips to the doctor each year and has had a couple ambulance rides and hospital stays over the last couple years. Very little waiting.
>>>>>
>>>>>>Why would anyone care how things are going somewhere else while having such "non-ERs" in his own house?
>>>>>
>>>>>I don't understand your meaning.
>>>>
>>>>A friend of mine's son died a couple of weeks ago from complications of diabetes. He was in his mid 40's.
>>>>
>>>>He had been laid off from his job several months ago.
>>>>
>>>>He was unable to afford his cobra (sp?) insurance and feed his family and keep a roof over their heads. An expense had to go.
>>>>
>>>>He was turned down by several programs that are supposed to provide low or no cost prescriptions to low income people. Also turned down by a drug company that offers same benifits to those who qualify. Apparently having a roof over his head and being able to feed his family meant he had too much money to qualify.
>>>>
>>>>Nobody realized how bad his condition had become until he was in a coma.
>>>>
>>>>He doesn't have to wait anymore.
>>>>
>>>>His family now gets the bill for a couple of days in intensive care, the ambulance, and the funeral.
>>>>
>>>>Nice.
>>>
>>>Was this not Obama's point exactly? Everyone should have some minimal level of health care. This is not some giveaway to freeloaders. It's an expectation in a decent society.
>>
>>Nice intention if that really was his intention - absolutely wrong methodology. You don't just force people to be extorted by insurance companies.
>
>We are not going to agree so I'll let it drop, but don't you think we are being extorted now? I will stick my neck out and call spending 16% of our GNP on health care extortion.

It absolutely is extortion. Forcing everyone into the same extortionists greedy hands w/no price controls only makes it dramatically worse.