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Americans die younger than other nations

June 15, 2011

Life expectancy for U.S. women in 2007 – Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

Americans are living longer than ever before, but compared with the healthiest nations in the world, their life expectancy is shorter and falling behind. Even Californians, who fare better than the national average, are living shorter lives than their peers around the world. [California Watch]

In 2007, the average American man could expect to live 75.6 years, and a woman 80.8 years, according to research released today by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. But between 2000 and 2007, more than 80 percent of counties in the United States fell behind the 10 nations with the best life expectancy in the world.

The United States was ranked 37th in the world for life expectancy in 2007.

“The progress has been less than what those 10 countries have been able to achieve,” said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the institute and co-author of the study to California watch. “We’re falling behind what’s medically possible.”

A study published in the journal Population Health Metrics attributes the shorter life expectancy in the United States to preventable risk factors – namely tobacco use, obesity and high blood pressure.

“We put less money and attention into both public health programs and primary care than some other health systems,” Murray added. “As a nation or as a community, every reduction in tobacco consumption and reduction in blood pressure is going to contribute to and enhance life expectancy.”

Californians live longer than the average American – 77.4 years for men and 82.2 years for women. Among states, California men have the seventh-highest life expectancy and women the fifth, said California Watch.

Even so, with few exceptions, Californians’ life expectancy is still shorter than that of the healthiest nations.

The benefits of improved health care can be seen on both a global and local level, Murray said to California Watch.

Australia is also home to a diverse population struggling with an obesity epidemic. But as the United States has fallen behind in life expectancy, Australia has steadily improved life expectancies.

The difference, Murray said, is greater emphasis on primary care and public health programs.


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I have the answer on how to get in to see the doc fast. (I may have to wait 5 minutes or so) I stand up by the reception desk. When somebody asks me to find a seat I tell them “no, it’s easier on me if I stand, and I can lean on the desk a little right here”. They nine times out of ten get me in fast because they hate people to stand too close to them. They think I may be a nut. Maybe I am.

When I am in one of those waiting rooms they put you in for a long time I open the door and stand in the doorway talking to anyone that walks by. I make sure I open the window so there is a breeze that whips through the door. When somebody tells me to close the door I mention to them that being in tight places makes me dizzy. I tell them I will close the window a little though.

When the doc comes in and that’s usually pretty fast I ask him to please sit down because I need to ask him a few questions. If he stands anyway, I also stand.

I aways make sure I have my cane with me. Makes me look like I am having problems. (Which I do).

I usually get my 20 minutes of exchange with the doc. He’s happy because he helped me and got me out of there and I’m happy because he didn’t give me the bum’s rush.

This works every time. I have been to at least 15 different doctors since last May of 2010. Works in SLO, Templeton, Paso, and Atascadero.

The doctors are very nice and the nurses are so sweet they take my breath away.

If my wife is with me she always questions me on why I won’t sit down and I explain to her the ins and outs of going to the doctor. She thinks I am a little crazy but whenever she has to go to the doctor she always wants me along.


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That is funny. One doc once told me to say that I was having chest pains, he said they’d get me in fast.


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The whole message about single payer healthcare system has been corrupted by big business, which not only controls most of the health care insurance industry but the bulk of the media itself, so of course there can be no intelligent discussion about what a single payer system really is. Certain facts do have a way of surviving the constant bleating against single payer because they happen to be true; FACT: America spends more per capita on our poorly delivered healthcare system then they do on single payer systems around the world, so paying for a single payer system should be a “no-brainer”. Start with removing the profit motive out of basic healthcare insurance; in Europe it is against the law in most countries to offer a basic healthcare policy that makes a profit; deluxe policies that offer more coverages and upgrades are still offered and bought by those who can afford them and want the extra coverage, but the insurance companies do make a profit on their basic policies. Here in America, healthcare insurance companies operate on a profit margin that includes an overhead for operating expenses around the 15 to 20 % range, while our one true single payer system we do have, Medicare, operates with a 3 to 5 % overhead expense. There are a couple of other factors that make Europeans somewhat healthier than the majority of Americans; in many communities, driving a car is reserved for rare occasions and most people walk to their local destinations and many shop at the smaller markets more frequently so they too do not use the cars as much. One more consideration is with exception to the larger cities, there isn’t as much fast food available; you can find crappy fast food at nearly every single tiny town in America, and way too many Americans eat that junk.

Let’s see how Vermont does with their new single payer system they just had signed by the governor there, perhaps they can show the rest of the nation how well it can work.


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Plus most Europeans don’t eat out because it’s too expensive so they do eat healthier. Docs in England are encouraged financially to keep thier patients healthy so the docs educate their patients on healthy eating.


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Yeah, and doctors here tell me to gorge myself on Big Macs. Do you even hear yourself?


Docs in England are encouraged financially to keep their patients healthy? …and here in the US, they are encouraged ETHICALLY? Morally? what? We need to BRIBE them to keep me healthy like in England?


Most single-payer systems are so corrupt, bankrupt, and rife with crime it’s not funny! You literally have to bribe your way in from the bottom, otherwise it’s the waiting room for you!


You want them to do a good job? Bring cash! Need those meds today? Bring cash! Want to make sure you’re taken care of? You guessed it: bring cash!


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Hogwash. Even when you make an appointment with most docs these days you have to wait anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to get in. My point is that docs don’t have time to council patients about a proper healthy lifestyle. Insurance companies have people that they pay, that get bonuses for finding ways to not provide less coverage to their customers, that is corruption. When I was preggies with my second child, Blue Cross called me and told me that they’d make it worth for me if I would throw my baby out in less than 6 hours, ie labor delivery and check out in 6 hours. I told them that I was in labor for 36 hours with my first child. I felt as if I got chastised and that the guy on the phone was mad at me for not committing to that 6 hour deadline. He receives bonuses for convincing women to pop their babies out as if they’re driving through a fast food restaurant. I would much rather give docs bonuses for keeping people healthy than give an insurance pencil pusher for keeping me unhealthy.


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The countries with the longest lifespans are surprisingly homogeneous – economically, culturally, ethnically, etc. The USA is one of the most diverse nations on Earth, meaning our healthcare system has to be set up to deal with a large contingent of different ailments and issues. Considering the factors, I think we have surprisingly good results overall.


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It is NOT about how much PUBLIC money is spent on health care. If it was, those on Medicaid would be living the longest and those paying their own way would have the shortest life expectancies. Really believe that crap? It’s about lifestyle – and, to a certain extent, whether you and I are obligated to pay for those who abuse themselves.


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This subject is not really black or white.


But why do we suppose we have an obesity epidemic (here and elsewhere)? Could it be diet and environment and lifestyle? Could our overall health conditions stem from those AND lack of adequate care due to politics?

I think our food quality has plummeted, environmental pollution is rampant and our new, lazy lifestyles (lots of machine to help us and electric boxes to keep us amused at our desk or couch). Almost no kids play outside anymore, they are all glued to their video games etc. Older people are addicted to their computers.

Every time I use one of our parking structures I notice who uses the elevator, or not. I always use the stairs, but those others who should, don’t. The chunky folks stand around waiting for help in getting them down and then up the levels-they should be walking and climbing.


I just don’t understand why there is so much anger against getting more health care for all. That would improve lifestyles, happiness and maybe save money by doing lots of preventative care. The lack of that could be catastrophic.


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I don’t think anyone would argue against getting more health care for all; rather, the argument is about how it is paid for.


Does someone who makes more money than I do have an obligation to support me? Do I have an obligation to pay for someone who refuses to pay anything at all?


Or is a Doctor’s labors my right? Should those nurses not charge to care for me? Or charge less since I make less?


Everyone wants clean water, air, food, better health care, etc. The arguments always come down to compensation and who pays what where.


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My neighbor has never had his house broken into or had any use for the police dept.. Why should he pay for the guy next to him that’s had his house broken into? We pay for his neighbor because it benefits our entire society not just the neighbor.


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If the subject were insurance to cover losses, that might be a decent analogy. Paying a police force a relatively fixed amount is vastly different than paying health care bills for people who refuse to take care of themselves (wear seat belts, don helmets, ad nauseum).


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Forrest fires cost a lot of money and we never know when the next big one will pop up. How do you suppose that other countries keep thier cost down and have much lower infant mortality rates?


Lifestyle is part of it but not all of it. As I posted, European medical communities encourage encourage healthy lifestyles. But I do get that part of that is personal responsibility but that’s only a small part of it.


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And why is it, then, that Europeans and Canadians come to the US for much major medical care – oops, I forgot that the answer is they don’t want to wait in line for their turn under rationed care systems that are so severely clogged that even heart surgeries don’t get done in an expeditious manner.


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And why is it, then, that Europeans and Canadians come to the US for much major medical care?, this is a good question,one wonders though if it is even accurate , even though one hears it a lot.

[medical tourism originating in the US could jump by a factor of ten over the next decade. An estimated 750,000 Americans went abroad for health care in 2007, and the report estimated that a million and a half would seek health care outside the US in 2008. The growth in medical tourism has the potential to cost US health care providers billions of dollars in lost revenue] via


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Or, you can read the opposite here


Zaphod, you’re far too trusting in the intr0netz.


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The banter between right and left rages on. Though rOy is so right on with his assault on the fat slobs wallowing on their couches and the masses demanding yet more opportunity to join the fatties already castigated here that is only part of the issue.


Though bad food, bad air and water along with little exercise are definite killers of body and spirit Typo has brought up the other half of the equation. Our health care situation is atrocious-even blockheads like McCain have said we need massive reform (just nothing that that ‘black guy’ suggests). The health care ‘debate’ is founded SOLELY on corporate republican efforts to stymie Democratic presidential initiatives (in modern history that means Clinton and Obama). The discussion has become irrational (since the facts and stats declared by Typo have been ignored or denigrated by the clueless) like many other political issues bounced around these days.


What really gets me is what do the dummies at the bottom of the neo con food chain think about the fascist pabulum fed to them? Their throats will be cut by the policies they support. Those needing affordable health care, union jobs, and fair treatment from governmental agencies-socialist plot thingies like that. What do the right wing big wigs think about the coming crime wave from the lack of inspired police on the street? Oh well, human folly reins supreme these days in the halls of the liptonites (get it? tea baggies!). Without their bibles, guns and money where would they be?


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I always go off on this topic as it effects me personally on several levels. Financially and physically my family and I have been negatively impacted by this health care crises. I like so many others am wasting a lot of money to medical care and insurance companies. That is money that could and would help stimulate the economy in more productive ways. I can’t go out and have dinner at my friends restaurant and help her business as I have huge medical bills and insurance payments. I am helping some fat cat in an office at Blue Cross make his million dollar bonus when I could be helping my small business owner friend. I have cancelled 3 doctors appointments in the last few months because I just don’t want to burden my family with more medical bills right now.


‘Liptonites’ :) I’m going to have to plagiarize that one.


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Oh no, I’m not letting you get away with that bunch of one-way slant. Yeah, well, I’m going off as well because the billions wasted on illegal aliens and prisoner health care and abusers of the system is a giant hunk of the money you claim is going to insurance companies.


How many prisoners had to cancel their sex change operations and transexual hormone therapy in the last few months?

How many illegal aliens had to leave the country to drop their anchor baby?

How many professional entitlement thieves couldn’t call 911 for a free ambulance ride for their tummy ache?


YOU FIX THAT AND I’LL MEET YOU HALF WAY.


Then add on the billions in costs to regulate the industry imposed by the megabucks government. Paper, paper-pushers, paper auditors, paper scanners, paper shredders… more paper than doctors… and government records of your personal medical issues! Not acceptable!


I AM *NOT* ALLOWING GOVERNMENT TO BE IN CHARGE OF MY HEALTH CARE. NO WAY. PRY IT FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS, ETC.


You damage yourself beating on the tea party with dishonest juvenile labels when the true tea party crowd (not the corrupted Republican co-opt’ers who stand a lot closer to the Dems) is all for eliminating corruption. But instead (and I’m betting you’re one of those pro-choice “keep your laws off my body” people) you want big government to dictate, ration, and regulate your medical choices?


Not rolling over on this. You Dems want to declare war over this like you did in Iraq? You’ll lose again. I’m not leaving this hill. We’re all losing now and the Dems are half the reason. Get to work.


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“.You Dems want to declare war over this like you did in Iraq? You’ll lose again” Wait, we declared war in Iraq?

Hmm, that’s a slant on history. The majority of dems were against being there in the first place. A few dumb lefties fell for a bunch of lies fed to them from the Bush admin. and agreed to go there but the majority of dems were against it. Perhaps you are talking about the words and actual ‘declaring of war’. They were just doing what the right is doing right now in the middle east. But I’m straying off topic and don’t want to get slapped on the wrist.


The Tea Party gave themselves the stupid name, ‘Tea Party’, and so far the main political Tea Bags ie Palin and Bachmann can’t even get the history surrounding the events of the Boston Tea Party right, not the brightest bulbs in the box, they are begging to be ridiculed. But it’s not like the ‘Liptonites’ are shrinking violets, it’s not like they don’t constantly call names, they’re tough they can take what they dish out. Where did I see those pictures depicting Obama with a bone in his nose oh yeah it was at several Tea Party rallies. I don’t care when people call us libs names, I do it myself, don’t act like I’m offending the Liptonites. Frankly I don’t care if I do offend them, to me they are the lowest of the right and an insult the what’s left of bright conservatives. I’ve been to Tea Bag rallies, not one of them seemed to have an independent thought, they had all of their facts wrong and frankly they weren’t too bright. They were all a bunch of paranoid hateful people that need to get their own state, stock pile supplies for the next apocalypse or civil war. They are afraid of the govt. and anyone that’s not like them. Give em Texas, that goofy governer wants bring religion into politics and wants to succeed anyway, I say we don’t need a war, let them have it. Oops off topic again.


Why do you allow the govt. to hire you or pay for the Police Dept. or our roads etc.?


I agree about the prisons. They get better medical care than my kids do, that’s not right.


Since when is an ambulance ride free? Last time we used one, (15 years ago) we got an $800.00 bill that my insurance company wouldn’t pay. You call people entitlement thieves, the real thieves are the insurance companies like mine that use every excuse in world not pay for my medical care.


We need to stop the illegal immigrants at the border before they get here. One they are here we must provide medical care for them or we are cutting off our nose to spite our face. We only hurt ourselves by not having a healthy population.


“Paper, paper-pushers, paper auditors, paper scanners, paper shredders… more paper than doctors… and government records of your personal medical issues! Not acceptable!”

Wait you sound like you’re describing my insurance company. One of my docs stopped taking insurance because of the bureaucracy involved with it and she’s able to charge less for doing that due to not having a special employee just to handle insurance companies, ask any doc how much paper pushing is being done in their offices because of insurance companies.. Blue Cross has records of all my personal medical history and they use it against me every year. I don’t trust the govt. but if I have to choose the govt. vs the insurance company, I’d much rather not leave my heath needs to some fat cat that pushes paper and whos main job is to make sure that I don’t receive health care. You must not have had much experience with insurance companies. I hate the fact that they have a file with all my personal info..


As I said further down. European countries have a huge issue with illegal immigration. They pay half of what we do for medical care so blaming it on illegals dosn’t fly.


Funny that you would mention abortion rights and the Tea Party in the same paragraph. The Tea Bags are the ones that want the govt out of our lives,,,except in the case of my body. Their politicians all run on abolishing a woman’s right to choose yet they don’t want their own rights taken away. They want everything their way and they are very hypocritical. In reality, I love the Tea Bags, they are going to be the reason that the lefties take back control of congress. I hope that the Tea Party is around for a long time.


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Holy cow, that post didn’t seem that long when I was typing it!


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The senate vote for the Iraq war resolution was 58% yea for Democrat votes. If yes equals no, then call that slant.


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That’s what I said, there were a few stupid dems that fell for the Bush admin BS but the majority of democrats (like me) were against it. I hope that those few stupid dems learned something from that.


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From the title alone I expected this to be about “the joys of socialized medicine” and I was not disappointed.


Our life expectancy has much less to do with “health systems” and more to do with genetically modified foods, processed foods, and too many luxuries. And still, many people want MORE.


What was that pixar cartoon movie where all the people on the giant spaceship/ocean-liner-like thing were obese and stuck in their chairs with everything given to them. That’s what too many people want, and pandering politicians are more than happy to oblige, after all, it is not their money they’re spending.


A doctor’s labors are not my right, no matter how much you want to sugar-coat it. Fair share my ass.


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I CCPed the following:


Article 25 of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948):

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

Likewise, Article 12 of the U.N. International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (1966) reads:

1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.


2. The steps to be taken by the States Parties to the present Covenant to achieve the full realization of this right shall include those necessary for:


(a) The provision for the reduction of the stillbirth-rate and of infant mortality and for the healthy development of the child;


(b) The improvement of all aspects of environmental and industrial hygiene;


(c) The prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic, occupational and other diseases;


(d) The creation of conditions which would assure to all medical service and medical attention in the event of sickness.

Because the United States is a signatory to both treaties, and U.S. policymakers played a role in drafting both treaties, it would stand to reason that health care would be accepted as part of the American understanding of human rights. And it is, at least by most–according to a 2007 CBS News/New York Times poll, 64% of Americans believe that the government has a responsibility to ensure universal health care.


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UNLIMITED FREE ENTITLEMENTS, EH?


The U.N. are a bunch of drug pushers trying to get us hooked.


We’re morons to allow the U.N. inside our borders. Kick them out and turn the building into something useful like a Wal*Mart.


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Impeach Earl Warren!!!


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SLO, this is very common from the right. Bush had no sense of diplomacy and the rights goal it to run the world without the need to work together. This is the American way, we want everything our way and we want to conquer everything in sight. Human rights, scr@w them, let them eat cake,,the mantra from the right.


It was the UN that was inspecting Iraq and looking for the magical WMDs. But the right as usual didn’t want to go the diplomacy route, they can’t stand the UN so hey lets just go bomb the cr@p out of country that wasn’t a threat to us. I can’t think of his name but I constantly see a former UN guy on Faux, the repubs seem to like him but the hate all the rest of them. Typical.


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…ah, the UN… a nice collection of despots, dictators, and general a-holes if there ever was one.


How many of those beloved member states are actually free?


The UN is a club in which tyrants, warlords, military coup leaders, monarchs and leaders of one party states are the majority. How can such an organization produce any form of moral legitimacy? Why do the left look to the UN as some kind of beacon of goodness when if they were introduced to those who are casting their votes on an individual basis they would wipe their hands afterwards? The UN is full of nasty tin pot dictators and thugs. Surely the simple fact that they are not stooges of white regimes or white owned multinational companies is not enough to make them morally acceptable as arbiters of what is or is not cricket on the world stage?


Please, leave the U.N. out of this, and anything else.


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The majority of UN members aren’t bad terrible mean people but some of us feel that it’s important to try and work with those few that are tyrants and warlords. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,,,,,,,,that’s why I watch Faux.


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You reap as you sow, we have failed at providing a friendly ambassador to the UN for decades sowing the wind now we reap the whirlwind.


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Now this is a political hot topic. This problem is completely due to our lack of access to proper medical care. If Obama was able to pass what we (the bleeding hearts) originality wanted then this stat would change. If left to the cons then this stat will only get worse. We need to make sure that the dems get back in power in the next election and we need let Obama know that we’re sick of placating to the right. Forget what the cons want regarding med. reform and taxes and do what’s morally right and that is making the wealthy pay their fair share and affordable health care for EVERYONE. There is no excuse for us to be #37. We have the best docs and hospitals in the world, this is reprehensible.


In countries with good preventable health care there is less of an obesity problem and people live much healthier lifestyles and that is directly linked to proper health care. We also have a very high infant mortality rate and that is defiantly something that should be better than other countries not worse.


I know I’ll get verbally beat up for this but it’s time for the libs to sac up and take control. I’d love to see a third proggy party come in and show the dems how this should be done but we don’t have time, we need to work with what we have. Let the right split their votes lets get the dems in and solve this problem.


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That has got to be one the most stupid things I have read here.


It’s really simple. We’ve become a nation of fat, lazy slobs with the major population centers being democrats and all about entitlement. They want their Guv’mint Cheese and they want it now!!


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The following is from the link provided. Please note how much per capita we pay. If you don’t want to read it then I’ll tell you. We pay DOUBLE of what other industrialized countries. That is why we are unhealthy. Insurance companies are scamming us and that’s just what they will always do. Sideshow doesn’t care but most of us don’t appreciate getting ripped off and living a lower quality of life than other countries. Other countries encourage docs and even give them bonuses for practicing preventative healthcare and it works, they are healthier and their health care is cheaper. This is a long post for you Bob so if you don’t want to finish is then that’s fine. It’s just full of those darn facts and stats.


http://www.visualeconomics.com/healthcare-costs-around-the-world_2010-03-01/


“Infant Mortality

The Infant mortality rate, the rate of deaths per 1,000 live births, remains higher in the U.S. than in most other developed nations. The infant mortality rate in Japan is 2.8. The infant mortality rate in Germany is 3.9. The infant mortality rate in Switzerland is 4.2. The infant mortality rate in the United Kingdom is 5.1. The infant mortality rate in the United States is 6.8.

Life Expectancy

The life expectancy in the U.S. is lower than in many other developed countries. The life expectance in Japan is 82.1. The life expectancy in Germany is 79. The life expectancy in Switzerland is 81.3. The life expectancy in the United Kingdom is 79. The life expectancy in the Unites States is 77.

MRI Machines

In Japan, 40.1 MRI machines exist for every million people. In Germany, 7.1 MRI machines exist for every million people. In Switzerland, 14.4 MRI machines exist for every million people. In the United Kingdom, 5.4 MRI machines exist for every million people. In the United States, 26.6 MRI machines exist for every million people.

Annual Costs of Health Care Per Capita

In Australia, the annual cost of health care per capita is $2,886. In Canada, the annual cost of health care per capita is $2,998. In Denmark, the annual cost of health care per capita is $2,743. In Finland, the annual cost of health care per capita is $2,104. In France, the annual cost of health care per capita is $3,048.

In Germany, the annual cost of health care per capita is $2,983. In Iceland, the annual cost of health care per capita is $3,159. In Ireland, the annual cost of health care per capita is $2,455. In Japan, the annual cost of health care per capita is $2,249. In Sweden, the annual cost of health care per capita is $2,745. In Switzerland, the annual cost of health care per capita is $3,847. In United Kingdom, the annual cost of health care per capita is $2,317. In United States, the annual cost of health care per capita is $5,711.”


http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=why_health_insurance_doesnt_work

“In the current system, insurance companies add negative value—which is to say, they make healthcare worse, not better. And here’s why: It is actually against their interest for insurers to compete on giving us the best care.”


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Thank you, Side_Show_Bob,

I can appreciate your observation. It’s my opinion that approximately 10% of the citizens who benefit from the public dole, do so, for the reason that it was intended. I have nothing but empathy for any hard working honest citizen who finds themselves needing a helping hand through no fault of their own. That 10% doesn’t include the anchor babies, they are not responsible for their parents who cheated and plotted to live off our taxpayer services.


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17% percent of our population is ininsured, that’s over 50 million people that aren’t recieiveing proper health care. Thats not including the millions that are insured like me that still even with insurance can’t afford proper medical care. The average family pays 14K a year just for insurance, that doesn’t count the out of pocket costs.


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I know that your heart is in the right place. Between the Democrats and the Republican’s it’s only a question of which party we will all financially implode under. The Dem’s are sucking off the dole to the point that the public services are unsustainable and yes, the Republican’s are PIGS too. They just suck from a different trough. The working taxpayers can not fund a national medical program. The cost isn’t even feasible, especially when we have to support all the “entitled” non-citizens who sneak across the boarder. The State is already broke, or did you forget about that?

We need a third party.


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We pay MORE than any industrialized country for medical care. The dems are not the ones sucking from that trough. We can’t afford business as usual. The dems are the ones trying to get the cost of health care down. Socialized medicine is actually less than private pay much much less, look at the figures I posted. We will never have affordable health care if we keep allowing private insurance companies to dictate what health care we receive. They are not in business to make people healthy they are in business to make money. Granted, the gov. as screwed up but it can be trusted more than Blue Cross, the govt isn’t out to make money with our lives, yes they have problems but they’re not out to screw us like the private insurance companies. If you read the above stats is shows how much we pay as opposed to other countries. Other countries have illegal immigrants. Europe also has a huge influx of illegal immigration yet they pay much much less than we do for medical care and their population live longer. Some of my European family members were just here this week. They told me about the huge issues that they’re having with illegal immigrants, we aren’t the only ones.


As far the illegals coming accross and getting health care, what the right doesn’t seem to get is that if we don’t take care all the people that live here that we will end up paying more in the long run. Forget about your feelings for the illegals, it makes good financial business sense to have a healthy population by practicing good preventative health care.


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NOT ONE person in this country is uninsured. NOT ONE. If you think you know one, tell them to call 911 and see if they don’t get free transportation to the E.R. and prompt and proper medical care.


What the average family pays is the result of giveaways and entitlements to deadbeats, the lazy, criminals and illegal aliens. Your solution is to raise taxes and raise national debt? Then tax us even more?


Prisoners in California receive more medical care than honest indigents. And the Liberal solution to these costs via activist judges is to set criminals free to perpetrate more harm in the community. How about fighting that travesty of justice?


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Most on the left realize that there’s a problem regarding the medical care in prisons. I haven’t seen anyone on the right fix that problem or the illegal immigrant problem but the right is always quick to blame the left for those things. You guys had power during the Bush travesty days, what did you do about those issues?


No one has to pay anything. Anyone can skip out on their bills. But most of us do pay our bills. Going to a hospital in and ambulance isn’t free. Not having affordable health care is just one more thing that’s destroying the middle class. It is the middle class that losing thier homes over ridiculously high medical bills and insurance and crazy high premiums.


We have to raise the national dept now, no one wants to but we don’t have choice. Are you suggesting that we don’t ? Yes raise taxes on the wealthy, absolutely. Why should I pay more taxes to support this country then Exxon or GE? Yes those that profit the most should give something back to help, they should give back to those that they’re ripping off.

The more you make the more you should pay. Why should I pay for the roads, your salary, the PDs etc. and not share that cost with corp/Wall Street fat cats? We wouldn’t be in this mess if the wealthy were paying their far share. Why do all those that don’t even make as much as these CEOs defend them? Do you think that they care about you? Are they providing more jobs? Hell no, they are just laughing all the way to bank at you guys doing their grunt work for them.


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