Universal health care

They are the small business owners, the people who make minimum wage and those who are hired as part-time so the companies won't have to pay insurance and benefits: those who, through no fault of their own, are unemployed and students.  Also, those with pre-existing conditions where no insurance companies will insure them. Companies, like auto repair shops,  get around providing insurance, by hiring "contractors" who must provide their own insurance.  People who have spouses that carried insurance and either die or divorce them often can not keep the insurance. The listing goes on and on.  There are many people who just barely make it through each day and cannot afford health insurance.  As the bigger companies are closing down, many group plans are no longer there.  People who need to stop work to care for an ill loved one cannot  alwaysafford to do it because of losing insurance and not being eligible for Medicare.  I came up with this listing based on close friends and relatives who fall into the above categories.  There are, I'm sure, many, many more.  My 47 year old son (a body man) has major heart problems. His insurance costs over $500 a month (BC/BS), he must pay the first $1,000 of prescriptions each year (probably by March), must pay 80% after that. His hospital coverage is only 80%.  This runs into thousands of dollars a year, and after paying insurance for car, life, etc. is very costly. I think that the for the majority of people, they simply cannot afford it. Do I like the government's taking over?  Absolutely not ! I will be interested in watching  what answers you receive regarding costs.  Thank you for posting, it's one of the better ones on Yedda regarding this subject.

I can see your point.  I, too, am a retired federal worker (DOE), but I am also on medicare.  I can carry the cheapest insurance offered to me (GEHA at under $75/month) since, for medicare recipients, they all pay what Medicare does not cover. I pay half for brand name prescriptions or $5/mo for generic,and know that  as federal retirees, we have a choice of the best programs out there.. I just  hate to lose it for a program that could be better, but that may not, or one that might have higher costs; I agree with you that it will happen and we will be under the new plan.  I can't see Congress giving up their health care benefits for this, but then, I MIGHT be wrong.  I want to retain my choice of doctors and hospitals, and I keep thinking about how the Canadian system works--and I would not want that happening.  Like all new things, it's a little scary even though it sounds like this new plan will benefit many Americans. I just don't yet know if it will benefit us of all. Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. Have a great weekend.