Being a vet, it pisses me off knowing that they are playing on sympathy. We don't have many here, but it's a small city here

I hope the rates fucking SKYROCKET!

I hope NO ONE short of MILLIONAIRES can EVER afford healthcare!

And I hope EVERYONE in the US is armed to the fucking teeth!

Then we'll see how it all goes....

I dont think tort reform would change anything when a healthcare insurance company chairman took a 500 million dollar bonus. While they were laying people off en mass.

im sick of the government.

I don't know how anyone can defend this obviously corporatist bill. Please explain it to me.

it's all a scam ...

Here's a brilliant fucking idea.... If we want to blame the healthcare issues on Illegals, why not make it a law for the local police to check to see if everyone is a citizen. If they aren't a citizen, they should be arrested on the spot.

Once again, only half of the story.

Federal lower court rulings are now tied at 2 for it being Constitutional, and 2 for it being unconstitutional.

So, those against it were losing and just have a level playing field again with some hope of getting it ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Not a huge accomplishment when you view ALL of the facts.

A very big and diversified fish (AIG) that has been cut up, but in general no. They went wacko in acquisitions when everyone was fat with cash and that was the fad. I imagine they had risk exposure at some point in every line of insurance. Generally, most health insurance companies specialize and stay pretty much in forms of health insurance and group benefits. Property and Casualty insurance companies are the one's that typically get into malpractice coverage. Sometimes re-insurers are involved that may indeed cover catastrophic losses in both life/health companies and property/casualty companies. Your premise, that lawsuits and professional liability insurance are big driving factors in health care and thus insurance costs is, true. I just don't see a real financial link with health insurance companies. As Vendzilla stated, it causes the docs to order lots of unneeded tests to cover their backs.

I'd much rather see a whole lot LESS police doing anything other than solving actual crimes like stealing, murder, etc.

And it's not the "illegals" anyway. It is what it is...the American people getting ripped off by our govt. holding hands with the medical industry.

It's pretty simple.

I found out in 2002 when I had my neck broken and had a huge medical bill. When they found out I didn't have insurance at the time, the company that "manages" a dozen or so hospitals (including the one that I was treated at) got with me and charged me the ACTUAL price (what they really charge the insurance companies) My bill was less than 10% of what they had originally claimed.

Last week I saw my doctor for some severe headaches I've been having. He thinks it's just stress related, but wants me to have an MRI on my brain to make sure it isn't a tumor.

Well, I went to the front desk to schedule it. They said it would take a week or so for my insurance to "okay" it. I asked them: "Hey, I have good money...I don't really need to put this on my insurance. I'd like to pay in cash"
You would have thought I was from another planet! They explained to me that "no" I couldn't do that. I asked "why". And they told me that the insurance pays it and it "costs" $500. But the insurance company only really pays $150 for that! And they didn't want to rock the boat with their "billing".

But they told me I should be happy because that will go towards my deductible.

In other words I am going to have to pay that $500 (it's a new year and my deductible isn't met of course) for a $150 test but it's all good because it will start whittling away at my deductible for the year.

THAT is the kind of twisted bullshit that is going on. It's ALL an insurance scam from top to bottom

I didn't know such a place exists. I assume you are from Canada. You are taxed for it.