It costs so much because of all the illegals and law suits make it a loss to practice medicine, kick the leeches out and make it harder to bring a case and bam more doctors and cheaper prices.  Wow deep eh?

You want high healthcare cost or high unemployment. Take your pick.

I left the United States a year ago to be with my Canadian wife who isn't allowed into the country to be with her Canadian (US Resident) husband due to the rules and regulations of another government fiasco in your country.

Worked out great though, your government doesn't have my 90K a year salary to tax and squander on bloated government.  You health care insurance industry doesn't have my $900 a month premiums to inflate their share price with anymore either.

Think about this, how much are you taxed, and deducted each pay period for absolutely nothing in return?

Somewhere over 90% of your health care is spend on items other than providing actual services.  Think about that.

Your political system is a crook, Canada is no better but at least with 46% taxation our health care is covered.  

My wife an I are expecting our first child in 9 weeks.  We've been to two different doctors and a specialist numerous times with no bill to follow.  Our care is comparable to the United States and we had no wait times that were any different than I experienced in my six years south of the border.  We even got into the specialist after less than 24 hours notice!  She even gets one year for maternity leave that is paid at 55%.

So what is more important to you?  Is it saving your inept politicians health plan, and campaign contributions?  Is it the CEO and share holder of your medical insurance industry?  Is it the corrupt judicial system that allows excessive abuses which bankrupt those who aren't lawyers?  Or is it your own personal health and that of your family?

Get off your butt and do something, stop being the land of the burdened and stupid and do something!

You're getting screwed!!!!!

Are we a nation of providing true freedom for all citizens or we really a nation that has learned the art of mastering the tools of deceiving hordes of its own citizens into enslavement? The mere fact that our health care system doesn't allow the very core of our essence of freedom, the desire to pursue our creative efforts and energies, to flourish and thrive without a hefty price is sheer hypocrisy to our values of freedom. The confines of a debt and interest alone are enough to be a cumbersome burden, but adding the fact that one would be shackled to a job in order to receive care for health needs is very unnecessary. Such health care needs are basic universal needs and where our freedom is stolen lies within the delivery method of the system: that it is provided to society through private corporations for the sake of making a profit. I have a dream.. I dream about a time when the people have all of their basic needs met, not because they fall into a class of rich or poor, but because they are human and citizens of a great and free nation.

I read a story in the New York Times over a decade ago that well over 50 percent of corporate employees would leave their jobs to start their own businesses if it were not for health care costs. It struck me then -- as it does now -- that this country's worldwide reputation as innovators was in serious trouble. Do politicians really believe that small business is the lifeblood of the economy? Hardly. And where would corporations be if over half of their workforce broke out of their cubicles and headed for the exits in search of a more fulfilling life?

Well I seriously doubt anyone will really scroll down to the bottom to read this, but hey here goes...

 What we need in this country isn't socialized health care.  What we need is socialized health care _insurance_.  

 Just like insurance for your car, people will shop around to find the policy that best fits their needs * and their budget*!  If the government were to subsidize (I hate that word, but it fits) every man woman and child -Let's say $250/month (half actual median coverage all which is currently paid by employers).  Then everybody will be covered for basic medical costs.  Want more coverage -buy it yourself.  -just like auto insurance policies, some people will want better coverage.  
 Competition between insurance companies will keep prices down, hospitals will have to lower prices to keep insurance companies sending people to them, people will get the coverage they WANT, and most importantly, every single man/woman/child in the USA would finally receive health care.

Actually Mary, the administration of the Medicare program has been privitized.  Which means, for profit insurance companies manage the program. Private enterprise and for profit motives have no place in health care.

My husband started his own company in our basement because he had cancer and couldn't get life insurance as a result. He had three children and a homemaker wife...me. Six years later he died and twenty years later I am CEO of an incorporated business.  Our product has become the benchmark technology for what it does in an international small specific niche market.

You've heard the phrase, when life gives you lemons make lemondade.  My tiny corporation has wrung the lemon dry.  The lemonade isn't enough to cover one of only two health insurance plans available to a micro sized business in our state. Health benefits alone cost us 20% of gross labor costs. Our unaffordable plan also makes it expediant to consider employee candidates on the basis of age and the number of their dependants. This week my company is reducing employee benefits.  Dependants are only covered if the employee pays for that. The other option is not to offer benefits at all.  

Meanwhile, big business has bigger insurance subscriber pools and optimal financial choice for insurance benefits but is sending its labor overseas to avoid paying health benefits.

Consider, U.S. small businesses provide the majority of total tax income received by our government. What is wrong with this picture?

There is one solution.  Universal health care.

One needs to remember that it is not only the Insurance companies causing this mess.  Has anyone actually thought to ask why the physicians and their practices hold the insurance companies hostage?  What most of you don't realize is that in order for an insurer to be able to pay the physicians, the premiums collected must be able to cover the medical "costs".  Some physicians in rural states DEMAND 800% (that's right 800%) of the Medicare allowable, which is used for a baseline in respect to medical costs.  Next consider the hospitals.  Hospitals routinely overbill both patients and insurers along with state and federal programs.  Take one aspirin for instance, cost is typically .5 cents.  The hospital is likely to bill $3.00 to $5.50 for just ONE aspirin.  Extrapolate that to all hospital services and POW!  You have over inflated "costs".  Add in the rising drug prices and over utilization of the drugs, and you have a recipe for disaster.  Why is it that the US healthcare system is so broken?  Because of MONEY, or the love thereof.  Part of the problem is that everyone involved is to blame, you can't blame one industry over the other, or blame one player for the whole team playing poorly.  Government intervention is needed, but not in the form of a federal "healthplan".  Why not "regulate" the industry and set pricing standards for all players involved, including Insurance payers, providers, facilities, pharma, et. all.

I have worked both as an independent technical consultant and as an employee of larger companies.  I find that I have an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to create things on my own.  However, after many years, it has finally gotten through my thick skull that the defining characteristics of a person running a small business are not only skills but a) to be in good health b) to have a spouse who works for a large company with insurance.  If you don't have these, you won't make it.  Those that say health insurance isn't a problem or say stop complaining are most likely in good health.

Health care is relatively affordable if you are in good health, but as time wears on your health declines.  It happens to us all.  So just as you start to do well with your business, the health insurance costs start to chip away at the success.  

Last year I grossed about $90K, but I had $21K of medical expense, a combination of insurance premiums and Dr. visit and prescription copays.  At the beginning of the year, I had a dry spell and missed paying the insurance premium on time by 3 days and so got dropped.  When I reapplied, due to various conditions my wife and daughter have, they jacked the rate to $1750/month and that's without the copays.  Based on last year's copays, I figured would have had to shell out in the range of $32000 of the four of us for this year. That's nuts but at least there are no exclusions.  In North Carolina, the charter for Blue Cross is that they have to offer coverage to everyone with no exclusions, but it seems like they can charge whatever they want to the highest risk pool. This lasted 3 months.  

I now think I'm over trying to make it as an entrepreneur, not because I don't have the technical skills or where-with-all to do it but because I can't afford health insurance for my family.  Now I work for a company with greater than 50 employees, and am on a group plan that takes about $650 out of my before tax salary which is pretty good I guess.  But this new insurance company Aetna, is refusing to pay for the generic of Allegra saying you should use the over the counter Claritin.  This is ridiculous, how do they know what works and what doesn't?  We've been through trying both types years ago.

Anyway, so much for being a self starter...  Health insurance, the great stifler of innovation.

I have been self employed for 4 years.  I am the only employee, (for some reason, most major insurers will only take you if you have two or more employees).  That leaves me with a very limited number of questionable quality insurers and one big name insurer.  I cover my family of 5 with a high deductible (over $4000 per year) HSA policy.  Here are the problems:
1) Average increase since 2003 = 17%/year on premiums and a forced equal increases in deductible each year.  In other words, double monthly payments in 4 years.
2) Limited choices of providers (as stated above)
3) Most policies are broken into 5 or more sections (general care, prescription, hospitalization (inpatient and outpatient), emergency care, etc... and each section has different deductibles, different co-pays, different maximums, different items that are or are not covered, etc, etc, etc...  Instead of paying for peace of mind, you feel as if you are gambling or buying stock.  You have no real sense of how much it will cost you each year and you are never pleasantly surprised. It is always worse that you hoped.  I am no genius but i am also no fool and I cannot predict my medical costs year to year and that is with no major issues, (thank goodness) during these 4 years.
3) Most policies available to the self employed do not cover dental, Optical, well baby care, checkups and more.  All those annual costs are 100% out of pocket.

This rant is getting too long. The bottom line is I want a simple policy that covers my families medical issues, that provides peace of mind, (major illness or injury will not bankrupt us), and I should know what my maximum yearly or lifetime costs will be no matter what.  It should be affordable, (I am paying nearly 17% of my annual income currently for my medical policy) and I should have better choices.

this whole usa has become sicko,,no feelings no one care they all are money hungry ,its amoneyca,thank the lord for europa..

Dear DJ Anderson, you have got to check your facts better.  I practice in TN, I have been open two years, have yet to make a profit, work three jobs to keep my clinic open and pay my nurse.  I too am a small business owner who can only pay the health insurance of me and my nurse by working additional jobs.  I am lucky to get even medicare rates by payers, I have yet to get paid by medicare.  As for inflated demands of reimbursement to insurers, I don't get a say in that, I'm lucky if I'm told ahead of time what the payment will be.
    However, hopefully this office will be okay in another year or two.  The thing is, if I didn't have to deal with insurance companies or medicare, I could get by with charging less than 50 dollars on average for a patient visit.  My overhead per month is about 35,000, and thats just to keep the doors open.  I could cut that to 20,000 just by not having to pay people to help me get insurance claims in, and referrals, prior authorizations, etc done.  The paperwork takes more time and cost than delivering the care.
    To those of you who think nationalizing all health care is the way to go...please remember what happens at the VA centers monthly.  Walter Reed was just a small look at the inefficiencies of nationalized service.  If you think its money seeking docs...I could have made more money doing something else for less educational cost (which by the way I'll be paying untill I'm 62), less hours, and less hassel.
    Lastly, please realize that doctors and hospitals have been taking pay cuts every year.  Salaries for docs have not keep up with inflation since 1990.  Medicare has been instructed to cut costs and has decided to do this by decreasing reimbursement 4% per year.  How many people do their job for less money each year.
    If we could fix the payer system we could fix the system.

It is funny how we do not face the real problem, excessive compensation for health care providers. If you  notice how much they make in socialist countries, it is a small fraction of ours(some doctors in the US make many millions of dollars, or how about the $10 aspirin at the hospital) does that seem reasonable? In the movie Sicko, one doctor made $250k and lived in a $1 Mil home, I can accept that. It is not the insurance industry causing the higher premiums, the claim costs keep going up. We all need to work with our congressmen to figure a way to limit income to them. We would see the cost of insurance, whether private or socialized plummet and we all would have the ability to possibly afford the treatment without insurance except for major procedures(where insurance should be needed). I personally do not want the government in total control, we see the IRS tax code, just imagine the plan document for healthcare! They have proven time and again they cannot properly control funds, what's the deficit now? Anyone who wants the US to have socialized medicine needs to have their head checked, because it won't be free, they will have to tax us all that work whether you want it or not and the poor and immigrants will still get a free ride. Same boat, different recipient of payment. Wake up America, don't fall for empty promises, think about what is the root problem!!

My husband and I are owners of a small cleaning service.  We were without health care coverage for several years.  Then my husband began suffering from chronic pain for which OTC pain relievers provided no relief.  I researched and found coverage with Kaiser Permanente, an HMO, who had no limitations on preexisting conditions. We only covered my husband at $115 a month with perscriptions costing $15 each at $60 per month. That was affordable. He was eventually diaganoised with Fibromyalgia, a syndrome for which there is no cure but the symptoms are managed with medications and life style changes.  For him that meant cutting back on the number of hours he worked and the type of cleaning jobs we scheduled.  That affected our income, but in the beginning we were able to manage.  Now, he is still with Kaiser but we pay $377 a month and 50% on perscriptions which run $550 a month. He is doing his best to work 4 hours a day.  Some months we do make ends meet!

I remained without coverage until my youngest daughter moved in with us, Then, I was finally able to get coverage with FHIAP because she is a dependent and our income is within range. When she ages out of the program I will loose my coverage.  Currently I am being treated for depression and high cholestral.

For both of us, health coverage is now a necessity and I am concerned about the all to real possibility that someday we will not be able to afford coverage.  

A few years ago our state came up with a state health plan to cover those who need medical coverage. It was a good idea, but the politicians did not include with the plan a plan to permanently fund this coverage.  Hence only the children are currently covered.  

We definately need a better way of providing for our citizens health coverage.  A national coverage of some sort, but ran by a not-for-profit non-government enity.  Initially a committee needs to be established to work on a plan with a reasonable time limit set in which to work out the plan. The committee should include some average non-government-employed citizens, a couple  business owners from both small and large business, health care practioners from various levels, a couple government people who understand how the government runs the finances and current entitlement programs, and finally a couple of residents who have lived under national health care programs.  All aspects of other national health care programs should be honestly and without bias studied for their successful and unsuccessful workings.  Then a plan drawn up that would work for us, providing preventative care, regular coverage, catistrophic coverage and perscriptions.  The coverage would be funded in part by taxes--a guaranteed amount, and by premium payments from citizens based on ability to pay and number covered in a household. There would be a ceiling on the total amount any individual or family paid for the coverage.   Our congressmen and women whould also be covered under this system and pay the premium as well. All citizens would be covered regardless of age and status. This would do away with medicare and medicade. The bulk of the funds the not-for-profit enity received would go to pay for health care costs with a small percentage to cover the administrative costs of the enity.  Reasonable costs should be established for all health care needs and procedures.  Finally, a reputable watch dog group would be appointed to run oversight on the workings of the not-for-profit enity.

Th plan needs to be submitted to the citizens to look over and let their congressional representatives know their input.  It is likely that such a plan would not be approved by congress without citizen pressure,

I may be a dreamer, but I have hope that something can work out. Any one else have any other ideas??

Universal health care is something we can not afford. First of all any time the Government gets involved it's more expensive remember the $700 hammer? Secondly the Dr's are going to get Medicare reimbursement rates? That will drive them out of business in a hurry. We need to start with tort reform and then utilize not for profit insurance companies.  

I own a small business and pay $750 per month for family coverage.  This includes my wife, 2 kids and myself.  We recently had a baby that had major complications with bills totalling around $150,000.00.  The bills were all paid promptly.  This is not astronomical pricing  it really was a great deal and will take 15 to 20 years for the Insurance company to recoup that money.  What you all fail to realize is that you will pay regardless of who runs the "System".  You need to think through your argument before your irrationally jump off the deep end and fall for the illusion of affordable universal healthcare.  Its going to cost you the same its just no longer going to be called premiums it will be called taxes.  Unless we become a communist socialist country and the government controlls everything in which case you will pay dearly with your standard of living.  No matter how you slice it you will pay.  The only way to truly make things better is to use the power you have as a consumer and shop things around get multiple quotes on insurance.  Contact the doctor/pharmacy before filling your prescription to get the price and go to the one thats cheaper.  Treat everything as if you were paying for it and negotiate with people then you will see a reduction in healthcare costs.  You are forgetting that you would not want anyone controlling the maximum for what you charge for your services other than the person paying for it.  Dont shirk your responsibility.  Make America great again not by trying to emulate Socialist EU countries which are not great but rather go back to the prinicapls and ideals that made America great to begin with.  God bless America.

Do the math.  Look up medical lawsuit payments and devide by the population.  This is half of the problem.  The other half is who pays when people get health care that can't pay?  We all do.  Each company should be mandated to pay for health care or pay a tax that is used to pay for those who can't pay. This levels the competive playing field.  Not fair some companies pay and some don't. Once those two things are done I think we will find most of us can afford health care.  No government health care--have they ever done anything right!!!!

I am retiring and closing down my small business of 27 years. I'm tired and, for the last few years, not profitable. A large part of that is the medical insurance I have always provided my employees at no cost to them. But every year the cost to me has gone up - a lot.
My compeditors never provided free coverage. Why should I have had to? This should be a function of government. The time is long past. The system itself is "Sicko".

Wake up the problem is very simple private insurance covers people who healthy enough to work. When anyone becomes sick, disabled they lose the private insurance because they can no longer pay for it. You then spend what ever money you have left and wind up on medicaid. This is our system, the private insurers take billons and give little in return. Next time someone asks about socialized medicine being bad ask about the police and fire dept. or maybe socalized roads.

I am a small business owner, nailed with high insurance costs. Yet, I'd still rather pay too much for insurance than to have the government take it over. That's what Michael Moore was advocating in his film. Yes, it would be "free", but it would be a nightmare getting care.

Local government needs to be held accountable.  City council, Mayors, Governors, Senators then congress.  The President will not solve the health care problem.  Local first then Washington.  I bet your city councilmen have health care.  The President is bought and paid for.  Get involved locally!

Check this out:
The health care savior for small business

http://www.nvtoday.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=229&Itemid=2

I am in a 4-person start-up company and have health care coverage.  It is an excellent policy through Blue Cross Blue Shield.  Only 2 of us opted for it because the other 2 have spouses that already had coverage.  We did not partner up with any other companies.  We got a policy for companies between 2 and 10 people big.  If you are starting  a company, you have to realize you need to know how to run a company, not just be good at your profession.  That includes understanding finance, accounting, marketing, and yes, HR.  If you can't get inexpensive insurance because you smoke or are overweight, then recognize the choices in your life actually effect you.  You can't get insurance because you have a bad job that is tough to stay healthy?  Get a good job.  And if you can't do that because you didn't stay in school or do well in school, then realize that the choices you made in life actually effect you.  We will be in sorry shape if we go away from private insurance to government run insurance.  All that will happen is that the good doctors will only accept private insurance or no insurance and only the wealthy will be able to see them.  All of you who complain now will have worse care.

That guy is full of bull, he makes things up and lies. I am a small self employed person. and doing very well thank you. No thanks to him who makes Millions off of negative lies and heresay. J.Lee  

My husband and I have a small Business and pay a big amount each month to stay insured. We even pay a big amount out of our own pocket for co-pays and what insurance doesn't pay for some reason. We just want to stay healthy and enjoy life and live to a ripe old age.

I am currently disabled due to the failure of the healthcare system. Poor quality care due to not having insurance caused serious problems.  If anyone actually wanted to do anything about this mess it would have been done long ago.

RE:Amy, Macon, Georgia
There is absolutely ZERO support available through the sources you mention.  If anyone has a pre-existing condition (like everyone!) you cannot get insurance at the small business level.  Only a comprehensive national plan will work.  Period!

My wife and I went to China to visit her family.
While there, I developed an ear infection.
I saw a doctor in a clinic there. (Specializes in ear, nose ,throats).
The cost of the office visit including prescription?
 $4.00 (FOUR) american dollars!!!!!!

HEALTHCARE IS A BUSINESS.  I AM A DOCTOR AND THIS IS HOW I MAKE MY LIVING, PAY MY STUDENT LOANS, AND SUPPORT MY FAMILY.  INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENTS SUCK AND ARE VERY LOW, IF A PATIENT EVEN HAS INSURANCE.  ALSO WE SET UP PAYMENT ACCOUNTS AND THE PATIENTS DEFAULT ON THE REPAYMENTS.  PEOPLE PAY THE CABLE BILL AND CELL BILLS BEFORE PAYING SOMEONE TO SAVE THEIR LIVES.  I HAVE TO EAT. THE ONLY THING THAT CONCERNS BIG BUSINESSES SUCH AS WALMART, AT&T, VERIZON PHONES, SPRINT PHONES, TIME-WARNER CABLE, GE, AND FORD ARE SAVING DOLLARS AND MAKING A LARGER PROFIT FOR THEMSELVES (CEOs).  I BELIEVE THAT NOT ONLY SHOULD HEALTHCARE BE REGULATED BUT ALSO CABLE TV, CELL PHONE COMPANIES, THE BIG OIL COMPANIES, AND THESE CHEATING / THIEVING POLITICIANS.  I HAVE A FAMILY AND BILLS TO PAY TOO.  I HAVE TO PAY FOR MY OWN HEALTHCARE AS WELL SO JOIN THE CLUB AND QUIT COMPLAINING.  1 OUT OF 3 SMALL BUSINESSES FOLD IN THE FIRST 2 YEARS, REEXAMINE AND START OVER BUT DON'T BLAME HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS FOR YOUR PROBLEMS, FOR YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND SCHOOL FOR MOST OF YOUR FORMATIVE YEARS AS WELL TOO.

Time for our government to care more about its' own citizens and spend time, money, and resources developing a national, universal healthcare program, instead of starting wars and rebulding efforts for those citizens of other nations like Iraq.

If you want solutions to the health care problem, you have to think "out of the box" I see this economy as extremely weak. The stock market is no indication of its strength since much of the profit are made from the business they send over seas.  The middle class is shrinking leaving the rich and poor becoming larger. Forclosures and bankruptcies are at record levels and the deficit is reaching 9 trillion dollars.
What I propose is a national sales tax dedicated to paying that portion of health care that manufacturing and transportation employers pay for the employees who are citizen and permanent aliens.  This would give employers an incentive to stay in the United States rather than to go over seas to send the products back here to sell.  This would in turn increase employment which would support Medicare and Social Security. Any money left over should be applied to paying down the national debt which could strengthen the dollar.
For those who scoff at another tax they have to realize that taxes are coming. Would you rather be taxed and have a job or not taxed and have your job go over seas? No one has yet come up with a credible solution to health care or businesses leaving to go overseas. If you have a better solution let me hear it.

In the UK the National Health Service is available to all. BUT ... no-one wants to use it because you know the ONLY part getting any money is frontline services i.e. Accident and Emergency.  (However, there is real reassurance that health services are there to some degree at the point of need - FREE of CHARGE.)

Just as in Education, British citizens are opting for private health care. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Definitely (at least in my experience).

The USA has led the way in driving everything toward money and free-market economics.  Surely the richest nation on the planet can
a) Provide excellent healthcare for all citizens and
b) Teach it's citizens to be better "financial managers" if they insist on the free-market model?

I guess by keeping people financially inept and by not providing health-care for all, it's easier to fleece them!

I have the solution to several of our problems that face us here in ths US today. Real simple, reinstate the draft. All US citizens 18-35 must serve their country for 2 years. This would give us all the medical personnel we need. The United States Public Health Service is still out there. The USPS is a uniformed service just like the military. If you do not believe in bearing arms and don't want to be in the medical service, recreate the CCC. Rebuild the nations highwaysand roads. Rebuild the forgotten urban areas,rebuild our public parks and recreation area. Make Americans take ownership in their country again. This is also job training. All of this can be accomplished. There are hundreds of thousands of retired, or disabled people out there with tons of experiance to pass on and train the younger generation.

I keep hearing from Republican's how great health care is in this country. I must admit, 3 years ago that was probably me, but I got hurt on the job, seriously hurt. I was able to keep health coverage for 3 years with Cobra, but that has run out. Now no one and I mean no one will give me coverage. The health companies hang up on me or never return my call. I am disabled with horrible pain and burning numbness in my neck, arms and legs, I have had two surgeries and am waiting for another, but it I shouldn't have had to wait this long, the insurance company delayed surgery for over a year, the first time and now after three years there is no safety net. To make things even worse the $300 I get for disability is too much to qualify for Medicare. I always thought there was help for the seriously injured in this country, no Worker's Comp. does not cover anything NOT related to the injury. To all the people who say we are best, maybe some day you will be in my situation, then you will know what true helplessness feels like.

My fear of socialized medicine is that it will be politicized.  Like the public education system, it will become a boondoggle by which politicians reward ethnic voting blocks and big-money contributors with jobs and contracts, at the expense of health-care quality.

Unfortunately, I don't know the solution.

There should be national healthcare. I, for one am tired of being taxed without representation. I would rather pay taxes that get me something in return, such as healthcare, than pay taxes for a lot of welfare recipients.
Also, it would not cost $510.00 because the government would put a cap on how much who can charge for what. At least thats the way in Germany, it costs less tha HALF of what it costs to insure one person a year.
Medical care in the US is overpriced to begin with due to the insurance racket!

My wife and i are in our late 50's,have a small business and obtained a health savings plan about 5 years ago. The premium has increased to $980.00 per month with $ii,000 deductable, We have spent $30,000 this year on med. We,as many owners i know are looking to europe for our future before we go broke. If large companys can move,so can we.some american dream. jim indialantic florida.

One thing that I believe would bring health care costs down would be to make them clear.  When you go to the store to buy something, there is a price on the shelf.  When you go to the doctor for a visit or a treatment, that cost should also be out in the open.  Then if say, your dentist says you need a root canal, you should be able to shop around for it, the same way you can compare prices for tires for your car.

The problem with the medical system is the same problem we experience with the education system. Too much government interference. Supply and demand dictate that any subsidized endeavor is going to drive up demand while supply remains the same thus driving up costs. As long as the government dumps money into the health care system in the form of medicaid, medicare, health programs for women & children and aliens and the "poor", there will be escalating costs.

Contrary to poular belief, the government is NOT here to help us- they are here to rule us and make us dependent on them for goods and services we could provide for ourselves if they would stay out of our businesses and our lives and quit forcing the productive person to support the parasites.

I'm self employed and dont have health insurance for my wife I'm looking for something affordable can you help us

We need a universal health care system in this country.  My husband was paying $600 per month for his insurance when he left his job of 24 years. I have also paid a ton of money for health insurance and never used it.  Now that he's self employed he needs shoulder surgery, which his company denied, though he got the torn shoulder doing the same stupid job for 24 years.  Our insurance has a $3000 deductable now, covers no office visits or medicine.  He is trying to work in pain and also has another disease called ankolosing spondalitis, which is resurfacing and causing pain again.  No help is available for people unless you have kids and it's ridiculous.  All he wants is to repair his shoulder so he can work.  No one cares about people who have always worked for a living, especially in Wisconsin.  I would move out of this state if I could.  But we have a house and who would buy it?  I see the same houses for sale for years in our neighborhood.

HELLO EVERYONE ,
I AM A GREEK CITIZEN AND WHEN I SAW MICHAEL MOORE'S FILM
I WAS IN SHOCK FOR ABOUT AN HOUR.I FEEL SO DEPRESSED FROM WHAT I SAW AND ALSO CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT OUR GOVERNMENT BLIND POLICY ALMOST  FOLLOWS UP YOUR COUNTRY'S EXAMPLE IN HEALTH SERVICES.
MAYBE THE NEXT PLAN IS TO PUT US ALL TO SLEEP FOR EVER AND ENJOY THEIR WEALTH.
GOD HELP US ALL.

After many years of managing large organizations in the corporate world I started my own small discount office furniture</a> business five years ago. I have struggled to offer a solid health care plan for my employees. We have had steady growth over the years, but not the cost of health care has grown even faster. Do you know of any states that offer a subsidized small business health care plan like Arkansas?

If you can't get affordable health care, please visit

www.AffordableHealthProgram.webs.com

To us, the average American, Small Business owner Middle income parent that has a middle income job without benefits...we must ask ourselves what are we missing here? We claim to be the best country in the world(maybe because more than half of us have probably never seen outside our borders) Our dollar is worth S%^t and countries like France  have Universal health care.... I here first hand from the French that their medical care is very good and medicines are cheap.  
So if the prospect of universal care doesnt seem to threaten the  quality of medical care and people like us who drive the country's economy are barely keeping our heads above water because we are terrified that our 3 year old will get the flu or our eight year old may break his arm or God forbid we get Pregnant!!!!we could go out of business ...and why do my mexican neighbors whom I have taken I liking to but why do they bring home just as much as I do after I pay my overhead but they get FREE health care!!!! ...who is benifiting here  and what are we missing.  and what can we do about it in "the best country in the world"!

The french Rock!!!!!!!!!!

As a small business owner I must say yes I live in fear. One slipped disk or hand injury or failing kidney, or clogged heart artery and its Chapter 13!

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