Hi Earl,

> The whole "death panel" thing was overblown, but there is a
fundamental
> difference between decisions of a private company and decisions of the
> government.  If you don't like one company, you can go to another.  It is
> not always easy or costless, but it is a lot easier than going to another
> government.

Yes, if we don't like the company we can go to another.  Let's take my 
mother's case as an example.  She retired due to health complications some 
years ago when her insurance premiums were $350 per month.  Now that she's 
older and on a fixed income, and less than 60yrs old, her premiums have 
become unaffordable.  There isn't an insurance company in the country that 
will insure my mother for less than $1800.00 per month.  That's several 
times over her monthly mortgage payment.  So yes, there is a company who 
will ensure her but for much more than she can afford.  They know that so 
they make it unaffordable because giving her insurance will cause them to 
lose profits.

What's the result?  She is uninsured.

Let's take my Republican Real Estate buddy.  His insurance premiums went 
through the roof over the last 7 years, but his income didn't.  He's married 
with 2 kids and a wife, and subsequently - he can't afford the $1300.00 
group plan he was on before.  Why? Becase when he started his group plan was 
about $600 per month.  The insurance rates skyrocketed but his salary 
didn't.

What's the result? He is uninsured.

A kid here at the University where I work broke his arm (2 months ago).  He 
walked to two hospitals and 6 clinics who each told him to "have a nice 
day".  It wasn't life threatening.  It got infected and now he is out of 
school and homeless - looking for a job - and accepting charity to help him 
cope with his arm that needs several surgeries.  If he had joined athletics, 
they might have assisted him in the health center, but he was a scholastic 
student - not an athlete.

What's the result? Possibly his arm is ruined - loss of school.

We could talk about these cases for days. But each of them highlight 
commonalities throughout our system.  I never stated the public option was 
the only solution, only that it's better than the blank pieces of paper the 
republicans hold in their hands while claiming they have the answer. 
 Nobody - not any party has come up with a winnable and usable solution yet, 
but we need to.  We need to do it rather quickly.  But so far, the public 
option is the only one that appears to have enough merit to work.

Shannon 

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