The isue of health care here is one that totally merits any kind of rant out there!!!!! I am ecstatic that my two daughters now have health insurance through their work -- the younger one didn't even have to age off our policy -- but for one month for which I   purchased catastrophic coverage for that month to the tune of $250.00. My son, however, the non academic and non studious one has aged out of the policy because he is over19 and not yet in school (not going either). So I pay $250 a month catastrophic cover for him. BUT Maine has a rew regulation that goes into effect at renewal (January) which will allow me to put him back on our policy (the company owner -- me -- has to agree to it and guess what, I agree). So in January he will go back on and hopefully our premiums will come down -- our oldest girl used to work for us and was on our policy -- she is now employed in the school system and our insurance went up to $1700 (PER MONTH -- we lost the youth angle, and my husband had a mini stroke once.........) so we wait with bated breath to see what a 19 year old (healthy) will do to the premiums when he gets put back on.....).

It's getting ludicrous -- for me I purchase medical insurance only because I am afraid of a major disease striking -- ad I think for many people it is the same. But at these kind of premiums one could just save the money for 5 years and have a 'stash' in the bank. And even with insurance -- a serious illness will bankrupt any of us due to the loopholes. It is a travesty.....