there are many different statistics available concerning the number of uninsured. here's one:

http://www.aflcio.org/aboutus/newsarchive/ns03102003.cfm

there is a wide range of insurance available to the employed, some health plans barely cover anything at all while others are Cadillac coverage. I've noticed smaller companies tend to have "bare bones" style coverages while the larger companies tend to have the Cadillac plans, but isn't always the case.

Even without the union spin, this article is a good illustration of why some type of universal/portable coverage is necessary. I don't know whether the current plan is the best answer or not, but something needs to change.

I've heard through the grapevine that hospitals already receive reimbursement from the feds for uninsured patients who do not pay. if this is fact, then the uninsured already have coverage.

one part of the system that is in big time trouble is this: in some cases, the doctor has to obtain pre-authorization from the insurance carrier prior to performing a procedure/surgery. there is a good chance that the person at the insurance company who pre-authorizes the procedure/surgery has NEVER attended medical college. think about that one for a moment, your health care may be in the hands of someone who doesn't know a liver from a kidney. scary.

I have first hand knowledge that some of them employ 21 year old know-it-alls who make the decisions regarding YOUR HEALTH CARE.

the system is working.

Yup, I have some experience with health insurance. Most providers do know how to work the system to get the insurance approvals they need for their patients. For all its faults, it's still better to have insurance than to be uninsured.

I assume that hospitals write off uncollected debts just like any other business.

it depends upon the hospital. some hospitals will write off debt which cannot be collected and others employ vampire collection attorneys to hunt down every unpaid dime.

best to check around and find out where your hospital stands on this issue. there are some who will file suit over a $100 outstanding balance. the court filing fees, service, attorney fees etc, are well over $100 so I've never understood why they waste their time with the smaller debts. plus, if the patient is dead broke, it's kinda hard to get blood out of a turnip.

these type of collection law firms do not care if you lost your job last week and are still recovering from the illness or disease that put you in the hospital in the first place, they will sue you anyway. wonderful people.

I had some collection agency call me over a two year old $50 lab test bill that somehow didn't get paid (I think they had the wrong insurance info). I'm surprised that they bother to chase down such a small amount. I just paid the silly thing.

What happens when there is not enough of anything, which in this case would be Doctors?

The free market fills the void. There are Doctors overseas that would love to come to the US if they could get the work Visa. If they can make a better living here than over there.....

Still confused about how this works? Read a book by a fellow called Adam Smith. I think the title is 'The Wealth of Nations'. Pay close attention to his treatment of the theory of the Invisible Hand.

As I have said before: The best way to get Health Insurance is to go to work for a big oil company, retire from there, and be covered under their retiree plan.

I know this is not for everyone, but it works for me!

His large audience is complicit in the crime against reason that is Rush Limbaugh.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Are we talking about the Cadillac Cimmaron, the Coupe de Ville, or the El-Do-*RAY*-DO?

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

You owe *me* $50.00, too..

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

the Coupe de Ville. BTW, in another life, once upon a time my grandmother raised German Shepherds as security dogs. she always dressed to kill and always always drove a new Cadillac. back in the day, people would sometimes pickup hitch hikers. so she is driving along one day and sees a hitch hiker and decides to give him a ride in her new convertible Cadillac. the guy starts making moves on her at which point she informs him that she has a dog in the car.

the guy kepts on trying to hit on her so she calls the dog who had been sleeping on the floorboard in the back. the dog comes between the front seats of the car and scares the guy so bad he literally jumped out of the car somewhere between 35 and 40 MPH! go grand ma!!!

Perfect! Why would you want to have medical decisions made by some old burnout? Let him perfect his short game at the country club while someone more motivated and less greedy can keep you alive.

Aren't you the same guy who once said that courtesy of a lack of malpractice insurance reform, all OBGYN's in your state fled the jurisdiction? I seem to recall performing 3.5 seconds of research and finding that your state was practically bursting at the seams with these specialists.

You make Wikipedia seem unimpeachable...

another state and all but a handful of OBGYN's closed their doors. there is more to the story but it appears you wouldn't be interested.......

Mercedes Benz Mechanic straight out of mercedes school versus Mercedes Benz Master Mechanic with 20+ years experience.

Neurosurgeon straight out of med school versus Neurosurgeon with 20+ years experience.

those who want table scraps will get what they ask for. those who insist on the best will receive the best.