The United States is spending $2 trillion a year (almost $8,000 per person).
What are you talking about here..... Is this a figure for all private policies combined or only govt. spending on it's own programs (medi care, VA, medicaid)? You'll need to clear that up before I respond.
Nearly 46 million Americans, or 18 percent of the population under the age of 65, were without health insurance in 2007, the latest government data available.
Okay, here you go. Numbers without context as opposed to context. This is an easy one.
1.) 46 million uninsured... sounds like everything is falling apart if that isn't put into the correct context!!!! Oh my!!!
Context provided here:
First of all, 10 million of those are illegal residents and do not deserve to be counted in this figure since they are NOT Americans. Let's move on to the remaining 35 million which is the more accurate figure.
At least 44% of the uninsured are uninsured by choice, and the number could be much higher than that.
An Urban Institute study found that:
- One in every four uninsured persons is eligible for Medicaid or SChip, but has not enrolled.
- One in five has a family income in excess of $58,000 and presumably can afford coverage.
This is a minimum estimate. Of those who earn less than $58,000, there are undoubtedly many who can afford coverage because:
- They have access to an employer plan, (almost one in five uninsured turn down employer coverage.)
- Even if their employer does not provide health insurance, they have opportunities to work for employers who do, but choose not to.
- They are young and healthy or live in rural areas and face premiums much lower than the $9,961 annual premium assumed by the Urban Institute scholars.
- They are near retirement and can draw on assets to pay premiums until they become eligible for Medicare.
Under the current system, 44,230 Americans lose their health insurance every week. That number translates to 191,670 a month and 2,300,000 a year.
They lose it because it is tied to the employer by Govt. mandate. This is how the govt. keeps the tax pressure up on the corps. Also, that figure does not take into account how many are picked back up AFTER the folks get reemployed and reinsured. Once again, it is the law that you can COBRA and keep insurance going, but many CHOOSE not to.
The number of uninsured children in 2007 was 8.1 million - or 10.7 percent of all children in the U.S.
Yes, but that number is DOWN from 2006, so the direction is one of progress, not doom. Again, we are left with choice. We are also left with the fact that one of the reasons why ppl are poor is..... drum roll...... they make "bad" choices in their life. For themselves AND for their children.
In any case, giving the govt. the control over your health is ludicrous. The govt. drives every program in its control deep into the red. That means WE pay for their fiscal irresponsibility.
SS, MediCare, Medicaid, Post Office...... all run into the ground fiscally. The Govt. SWORE when all of these programs when enacted they would be efficient...... well guess what....NOT.
It is folly to try and fix the private sector with the public one. It is wasteful, it is dangerous.
There is some true context for your numbers.....enjoy!!
The democrats are OWNED by the Tort lawyers and Obama will not call off the dogs. It is this more than anything which drives the cost of medicine up. If Obama called off the lawyers, then the private health care system would BLOSSOM further, and Obama would not be able to gain control of 1/7th of the economy. Obama isn't about fixing the health care system as he is about taking it over. There's a difference.
