2) I do not want to live to be 100, not this way. 70-75 Max would be fine. My advance directives are VERY clear there will be no tube feeding, no being kept alive as a vegitable on machines, no extra care unless it is a sure thing I can live as I am today – strong, healthy, ambulatory on my own two feet, etc…..I have lived a wonderful, etremely full life, traveled all over the world, had a great career, given time and love in vounteerism at hospitals and charities since 8th grade (age 12) and manage a full, busy life as a volunteer Director of Hospitality for 250+ international women, all the while enduring total face & body photo-dynamic therapy, caustic, burning 35% TCA peels, oral chemotherapy, etc.

3) Based on all the above, on Sept 1, when I see my Dr at MD Anderson Int’l Cancer Center here in Madrid to start “Acitretin” chemoprevention therapy (along with more MAL PDT, etc), I have MANY questions to ask about the MANY risks associated with this drug therapy.
– One of them is: “If this was YOUR wife, would you want her to endure all this? What are the alternatives? Dosage alt’s, and so forth?” Thanks to the internet and my access to medical journals and clinical trial results, I have a succinct, detailed list of educated questions, and have already sent them via email to him that we will review before I MAKE THE DECISION re what is best for ME.

4) Let’s end this Employer-based healthcare that started post WWII – that in itself will solve many portability and other problems. Many people do not do paid work and provide valuable contributions to society as mothers, wives, husbands, students, retirees, and more.

5) In CALIF, the state has home-owner’s insurance policy coverage provided via insurance companies that home-owners pay for at a normal, reasonable cost when they have (e.g:)the old style shake roofs in So Cal, and cannot get insured by their regular carrier. Something like that may be a solution for those with high risk health issues…..

Worth a discussion.

Too many people are fat, addicted, lazy and apathetic or worse, who COULD do something about it and don’t – and WE THE PEOPLE, the taxpayers, pay and suffer because of THEM.

Additionally, too many doctors FAIL to tell their obese and non-compliant patients to lose the lard, seek bariatric Sx options or find out why the patient is non-compliant, etc. There are reasons. If more doctors spent more time EDUCATING their patients, instructing them to keep dietary or health diary’s and to write down questions BEFORE they come in for an appt, less time would be wasted and more focused care could be provided. Listening and makling sure the patient listens and understands (have them repeat back to you your instructions) would be a first step.

As a DES daughter, I have battled Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma IIIa and CCA IIb 2x (cervial/vaginal/bladder; ovarian to omentum) cancer and as a result of the Tamoxifen therapy post the 3rd set of IV chemotherapy I was Rx’d for 5 yrs, have had cataracts at age 41, and now at age 46 (starting since 1998) have stage IIb melanoma and multiple stage proliferating SCCs, et al.

I am 5’7″, 106 lbs, can bench press my own weight and eat, live and exercise better than most anyone I know. My TOTAL cholesterol is 159 (increased from 119 since living in Spain for a yr due to healthy eating of olive oil); w/my HDL at 106, LDL 43 and tryglicerides 43.

I take VERY good care of my health, yet my cancer was caused by the DES in vitro – not my fault. However, I still manage to be in better health than most – depsite the new cancers.

I have been paying for health insurance since my 18th birthday, along with military medicine my fathers earned as war veterans and Commanding Officers, as a Navy brat and for the last 5 yrs as a Navy and USN RET Officer’s wife. (We pay for CIGNA insurance here in Spain, utilitizing the services of SOS Int’l – which both, by the way, are SUPERB.)

So, yes, while an extreme and over-generlized statement was made by Dr. Leap – at least someone is speaking about the white elephant in the middle of the room and getting the dialogue going.

Take care America!

This last statement is a perfect example of lack of responsibility. The ER is not the only option, you could actually go see a primary care doctor and PAY him or her!

I would bet you pay a mechanic when your car breaks down, a lawyer when you need one, and a plumber when your toilet leaks.
Where did this attitude come from that healthcare should be free?

Ha! I’m not actually a libertarian, but it is interesting think that there would be an argument against marriage (I, personally, have a wife and child). Maybe you can explicate further. Your other comments also don’t make sense to me, to wit:

(1) I favor portable, high quality health insurance for everyone (and I think a market system is the best way to accomplish this). I have health insurance myself (because I take responsiblity for myself). If I thought I would always be healthy, why would I do this?

(2) I plan for my entire life – knowing I could lose my life (life insurance), become disabled (disability insurance), or become unhealthy (health insurance). I also know I will become old – and, unlike many others, realize I cannot rely on a ponzi scheme (Social Security) to keep me afloat. That is why I invest, save, and have a 401K.

(3) I plan with a range of 70-100 years of possible life. I intend to maximize my enjoyment over the coarse of this time, experiencing love, joy, family, the pride of building a business, adventure, travel, learning new ideas and gaining exposure to interesting cultures, etc.. I think everyone should do the same, to the best off their ability and means.