The other downside to the US's massively screwed up health insurance situation is that it actively encourages age discrimination in employment.

I'm 58 years old -- so my health insurance (at least partially paid for by the company) is more expensive than for those 30 year olds out there. And I certainly can't afford to retire at 65 (when at least I'll be eligible for Medicare) at any other age, alas, so I'll be needing a decent job -- and I don't mean greeter at Walmart! -- for quite awhile.

Just this afternoon I was talking to a 17 year old clerk at a discount store. She has Crohn's disease, has lost a foot of her colon, takes 56 pills per day, and is terrified of what's going to happen when she loses her insurance next year when she turns 18.

Ya know, the stress of it all is enough to make ya sick!

Linn