Health Care Andicdotes

Andrew Sullivan has been documenting fascinating stories about how awful life is for those without health insurance, and also how much society pays for the care for these people. Check out this story about a student epeliptic for one example. Money quote:

The simple act of being picked up off the ground, transported to the hospital and ingesting a Tylenol offered by doctor there would run me over a thousand dollars. When I checked my bill I discovered that the two Tylenols I had ingested alone cost me over 50 dollars.

Those of you who oppose health care reform because it's too "expensive" would do well to think of stories like this.
Here's another one about someone with insurance:

When I began work post seminary, the cost of the standard plan offered by my denomination for two of us was $4000. It seemed reasonable in 1999 and was a whopping 8% of my salary. Well since then costs have gone up each year by 20% or more. We have added our two children to our family since I began working, and the cost of my family's healthcare plan is now $22000 this year. This currently represents 1/3 of my salary, and the cost has increased $7000 in the last three years alone.

One third of your salary just for health insurance!