Hank,

Along the lines of the thread title, there doesn't seem to be any pragmatic economic alternative regarding medical care for illegal aliens. Currently they come to ERs, which I hear by law are not allowed to turn them away, altho it's uncertain how one verifies legal status during an emergency. Same with the paramedics arriving at an accident scene. Let's just say Hank appears to be down for the count, having been hit by a drunk driver. The Medic walks up and says, "I'll begin treating you Hank, just as soon as you prove to me that you're a legal resident or US citizen." We don't have a reasonable and workable means to deal with this, and as pointed out by some posts, it's small stuff in the greater scheme of US medical drama.

Then comes the abortion issue . . . really? I don't know, but maybe it's an issue. An economic pragmatist would insist on covering abortion costs, thereby avoiding all the subsequent public medical costs later attributable to the unwanted child. Looking at it strictly as an economic issue and steering clear of any ethical or moral arguement, which is a waste of time.

The system is broken. A public option is necessary for the simple fact that private health insurance has no real, only imaginary, competition otherwise. Private health insurance exists for the sole purpose of profit. It makes profit by raising rates and denying claims or coverage. There is no other way it can generate profit. Boards of Directors award CEOs who raise rates and deny coverage with multi-million dollar bonuses. Profit is the wrong purpose for health care. The system can only be fixed by adding health to the purpose of the business, with or without profit as a purpose. And ultimately, it really isn't insurance in the sense that car and home owner's fire insurance is. You may go 20 or 30 years without a car accident, wherein your premiums help cover those who do have them. You may go a lifetime and never have your house burn down, but your premiums will help cover those few who experience that misfortune. But everybody, if they live long enough, needs some medical care. Health insurance is really a glorified pre-payment plan. We pay in every month cuz the day will come when we have to cash in on some part of our premiums, some of us more than others of course, partly preventable, partly due to chance.

Sg