[VRM]

I agree with Jamo - this train is going too fast and is headed for a wreck.

Our system is not all that bad, but there are some fixes to be made. I agree with Ernie that a lot of people who are out of work right now are not lazy-ass types. I would like to figure out a way to cover their medical until they find another job. Something like unemployment benefits, but that also has a time limit. It will not be free, but it will be cheaper than what is being proposed now.
And for you employers out there who will complain about another cost, well, that person is making you money. You would not have that person there if they didn't. If every person I hired would clear $5 per year for me I would hire 50,000 tomorrow. Seriously, don't bother - I really dislike people who complain about their good fortune.

Tort reform is another one that needs to be fixed, but I think it is safe as is for at least the next 3 years or so. I also wonder if the malpractise insurers would actually lower the rates if the malpractise costs dropped.

Drug costs are also too high because drug companies have a great game going with patents and licensing. I would like to see cash awards for cures for major diseases, but then 'we the people' would own the rights. I am leery of government having that sort of control, but the drug companies have proven that they are usually not willing to play an honest game. Anybody have any better solutions to the high cost of drugs?

There are also efficiencies that we can make using high tech. My own local doctors office recently went to using small laptops to enter patient data - test results, digital x-ray images, and everything else can be stored in a patients file. And you don't have to worry about poor doctor handwriting because everything is typed. My doc says he loves it, and it has cut down on the time he spends on paperwork.

And for those GOP types - you should have seen this coming. Clinton tried to do this 15 years ago. You had Congress for over a decade, including some significant overlap time with a Republican president, and you did nothing but let the problems get worse.

And for you DNC types - WTF are you thinking!?! Bush was pretty terrible, but that does not mean that everything that existed during his administration needs to be thrown out. You need to actually troubleshoot the problems and identify what is broken and fix it. This is a knee-jerk reaction to the last 8 years, and it is not a good one.

Steve