If we stopped free ambulance rides and free health care at ER's across America for all of the illegal immigrants we could afford to pay for everyone's care, easily.

We have socialized medicine now that costs the states an incredible amount of their budgets. Call a county supervisor in your state and ask them what is spent on "indigent" health care?

Ask the local ambulance company how much they actually collect on their bills, how much the county pays them to operate and how much they jack up their rates to cover no pays.

Ask your local fire department how much their paramedic program costs and how much it gets abused.

We spend billions of dollars each year taking good care of everyone. Check on where the nearest level one trauma center is to you. One or two have probably closed in the last 20 years that were closer to you.

The problem with the health care bill, or any system that has been proposed, doesn't look into the realities of why health care costs so much.

The current state of the EMS system nationwide is breaking the bank.

Amen. The ERs here are inundated with illegals coming in by ambulance (paid for by the county/state) and MUST be seen, no matter how trivial the reason. Those walking in, having insurance, are forced to wait sometimes 6-8 hours (personal experience) to see a doc. Sitting in the waiting room with masses of family of the folks who HAD to come in by ambulance to be seen is an experience.