"The next was a woman, late 50s, Democrat but strongly pro-life. Loved B. and H. Clinton, loved Bush in 2000. "Well, I don't know much about this terrorist group Barack used to be in with that Weather guy but I'm sick of paying for health insurance at work and that's why I'm supporting Barack."" - Russellreno from Bookmarklet

the health insurance issues - when gov gets involved the healthcare you will expect is not the healthcare you will get. Ask anyone on Medicare and ask them how high their deductable goes each year ... and how much it costs for supplemental insurance that you must have or get penalized. I want basic care for all but there must be a way to keep the gov hands off this....seriously - what your expectations are......insurance for all will make for some pretty pissed off patients when status quo is no longer your product! - Janet

Uh, if you're over 65, your Medicare deductible is $100/year. No joke. - Victor Ganata

And your premium is about $100/mo. This is in stark contrast to the bare bones plan I pay for: $2000/year deductible, about $100/mo premium. - Victor Ganata

Updated numbers for 2009: Part B monthly premium: $96.40; Part B annual deductible: $135. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps... - Victor Ganata

@jlt - hysterical comment coming from McCain, a guy who has been on govt health care for 60 years. - Dave Hodson

When it comes to healthcare, I can't help but compare the US to the UK. The UK spends about a third less of taxpayers money than the US does on healthcare, yet in the UK healthcare is mostly free at the point of use. - Ian May

Part of the problem is that Americans have been trained that "more expensive" equals "better." Medicine doesn't work that way. - Victor Ganata

@victor - i do my parents bills - it is not 100.00 - it is closer to 800.00 and part b is the supplemental and that is bones pricing. medication without the doughnut hole runs my father alone 1300 a year, without it his meds would be close to 8k. Bush did good getting meds on the plan but gov must keep hands out of the medicare fund. - Janet

part b is what you can buy when you turn 65. unless you're counting the coinsurance, or the meds, i have no idea how your parents are getting charged $800. check the cms page: those are the numbers. certainly that's what my dad is paying. part d is completely broken and is basically gov't subsidy of big pharma. - Victor Ganata

seriously, @jlt, your parents must be getting ripped off somehow, unless you're counting co-ins and/or meds. Meds are damn expensive. most people over 65 are on 4-5 meds, and each pill costs ~$3/day, and even with part d, it's still painful. - Victor Ganata

Victor - I had a very helpful senior pharmacist go over every plan my parents could get based on their formulary in part d. They are both 84 and the meds alone my father must (and I say must -- i work in healthcare so I keep close tabs on what is happening and have some great docs assist me if I have any questions about their care) - they are in a different state making it harder for me to be on absolute top of the medication changes. Each state does have some plans to help them along. Luckily in DE I was able to get them in a program that helps defer costs. Hell, they both live on about 19k a year from Medicare, investments in CD's and a pitiful retirement check from a union. They fell into the poverty level. At least with the current gov they don't pay taxes. When you reach that age many diagnsotic tests are high and there are co-pays you cannot avoid! If you are 65 and healthy = great as you age more it goes to crap...cancer of prostate is almost a given for an ederly man. - Janet

@jlt, I don't have any doubt that the co-insurance can be daunting, since Medicare expects you to pick up 20% of the tab, and the cost of medication is out of control. Health care cost containment must go hand-in-hand with insurance reform. But the health care industry is not going to do this on its own, and it is so far removed from market forces that consumer behavior has little bearing on costs. - Victor Ganata