I read a breakdown of the 40 million Americans without health insurance recently.

Eighteen million were people in the 18-34 year old age range in good health. So they felt that health insurance was a low priority.

Nine million were people with incomes of over 75,000 dollars a year. They either felt health insurance was a low priority or considered themselves to be able to pay for any likely health care emergency.

That leaves only 13 million people who might truly want health care insurance and are unable to afford it.

The Latest population estimate for the USA is:

301,139,947 (July 2007 est.)

(According to: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/us.html)

13 Million is insignificant at best.

Well, we found something in common here, BJean: I was a Democrat, born and raised, who switched (I prefer to think of it as "saw the light" ) during Reagan's 2nd term. I even voted for Jimmy Carter ! I don't think my parents have ever gotten over it, though....

LOL! I was a conservative since age 7 when I learned what taxes were. I had a roommate in college who was a socialist -- for a week (you'd be hard-pressed to live with me and be a socialist. Now she's more conservative than I).

LOL! I was a conservative since age 7 when I learned what taxes were. I had a roommate in college who was a socialist -- for a week (you'd be hard-pressed to live with me and be a socialist. Now she's more conservative than I).

Great story!! Although I kinda wish you were still in college so you could "educate" a few more roomates!! :heh:

BTW, the portrayal of the families of victims of malpractice living the high life off these settlements is very distasteful. That's like talking about the families of the victims of 9/11 living well on their settlement money.

I don't mean to imply that all families do this. Or even most of them. But I have heard of various cases of it.

It is more distasteful to me to think about the doctor who goes on his merry way after practicing really bad medicine and continues having unsuspecting patients putting their lives in his hands and paying him good money for it.

You're right about some negligent doctors being put out of business if it weren't for malpractice insurance. But isn't that probably for the best?

I agree completely on both points.

Marimau: I just notice how well you're doing with the band! Were you banded in September? I'm impressed!