*clap, clap clap* - you take my very first sentence and twist it to your own ends. Good job!
To all you folks with actual, real diseases, who the insurance companies want to drop and all that - you probably need the help. I'm not talking about you - I'm talking about the Wal-Mart crowd (to pick a target you're all comfy with attacking).
To re-state it again - HEALTHCARE is fine. Better than ever. Never has there been more of it, or has it been more available to more people. HEALTH is NOT fine, unless you somehow equate inprovements in medicine to an increase in diabetes and the other ailments you mentioned.
Three months ago, I was taking seven pills a day for various things. I cut my calories back to 1500 a day (living like royalty, eating like a king - isn't it nice to be rich?) and walk for 10 minutes, three times a day (oh, the luxury of such time, to be able to afford to spend all day exercising!) - I've since dropped almost twenty-five pounds and I'm taking one pill a day (that I probably won't need much longer).
So, through the miracle of insurance coverage that only I and nobody else has access to, millions of dollars of disposable income, and copious free time, I've managed to reduce my medical expenses by about $150+ a month, and am looking and feeling better to boot. God damn, is it awesome to be me or what.
Do I need to finish this story to make my point?
Oh, why not. I was one of the lazy, pill-dependent people that I mentioned before. Sure, exercise, blech. Not eating to excess - man, I miss those days (not really). But with a MINIMUM of effort, I have turned myself around, saved MYSELF money (both on meds and on food), and am better off for it. And trust me, if I can do it, almost anyone can. And you know what the best part is?
I didn't demand that anyone ELSE do it for me. I didn't EXPECT taxpayers to support my program and ensure my better health. I got up off my ass for 30 minutes a day and fucking DID it. Now, hey! I'm not at the mercy of avaracious insurance or medical companies who demand that I pay hundreds of dollars for their medicines. Wow - amazing. And without Congress' help.
I have a ways to go, and I'll need to increase my effort now that the easy weight is gone, but I've come this far, so I intend to do so - by myself, most likely. If other people would do the same - imagine how much less stress there'd be on the medical system? Why, we wouldn't need to worry about raising taxes and enacting new laws so that people who take eight 'scrips a day can "afford their own" medicine. They wouldn't need expensive treatments or doctors visits as often, and likely would live healthier and longer lives. And more importantly, people who REALLY DID need doctors and medicine would be able to get both - cheaper, and faster.
But then, they'd have to give up their Big Macs and Oprah (well, 1/2 an episode at least), and we can't have that I guess. Oh Congress - please help us with the "Healthcare" crisis! I'll be sure to vote for you as soon as I can get in my Hoveround.
*spit*