The rest of the world thinks you're silly

[Xiahou]

The whole pre existing conditions thing alone makes it a step forward...

Ending the ability for insurers to refuse you based on pre-existing conditions and still calling the product "insurance" is crazy.

That's like buying mechanical breakdown insurance on your car after you blew up the engine and being shocked when they won't pay your claim.

[Montmorency]

That's like buying mechanical breakdown insurance on your car after you blew up the engine and being shocked when they won't pay your claim.

Not quite. To make it analogous to the earlier pre-existing conditions coverage paradigm: you have a harder time getting or keeping breakdown-insurance if your car has previously broken-down (and subsequently been repaired, of course); previous breakdowns or other mechanical malfunctions raise the projected costs-over-time for the insurer.

Ending the ability for insurers to refuse you based on pre-existing conditions and still calling the product "insurance" is crazy.

It's misleading - but what do you expect from a country that has decided to continue to permit insurance agencies to be some of the leading payers in the national health-care system?

[Husar]

Ending the ability for insurers to refuse you based on pre-existing conditions and still calling the product "insurance" is crazy.

That's like buying mechanical breakdown insurance on your car after you blew up the engine and being shocked when they won't pay your claim.

If you think humans are like cars then you also shouldn'tcomplain if your wife doesn't use you for a month or replaces you with a new model.
Maybe your definition of insurance simply doesn't suit human requirements.
And a lot of it could be alleviated by insuring everyone before they have preexisting conditions unless they have them from birth so that's a bit problematic, especially if you're against abortions.

[Brenus]

“Do you know much about Vietnam war?” Matter of fact, err, yes.

“Tourists? In Afghanistan?” US Armies? Just joking. No, tourists somewhere else, like a Commercial Centre in whatever country full of USAnians tourists.

“Did the Illuminati tell you that?” No. Observation and quick look on US military Budget: Impressive for so little results.

“We can deal with that.” The attack on the Twin Towers showed than you didn’t and can’t. You fall in Bin Laden trap, and now have to face even more enemies. Well done and manage… USA is so predictable…

“the war in Iraq is over” Good I was not drinking coffee above my keyboard… This is the worst month in Iraq in killings and bomb attacks. Well, I understand now, if it is how you qualify a war to be over by this standard…

“It's a hobby” Good one.

even the French...shame on you: I know it is Nationalism, but you should really study as you will find out that France is the most successful country in term of Military successes.
I always wonder why I am proud of this, when it is shame that France was so involved in wars. France conquered lands all over the World,had two Colonial Empires, lost both) attacked and was attacked by numerous countries, won more battles than lost (reason why France still exists) and then, why I am proud of it?