Doctor, It Hurts When I Do This

Here's one way to eliminate the health insurance crisis in this country.

John Goodman (no, not THAT John Goodman), who helped craft John McCain's health care policy, opined thusly:

Mr. Goodman, who helped craft Sen. John McCain's health care policy, said anyone with access to an emergency room effectively has insurance, albeit the government acts as the payer of last resort..."So I have a solution. And it will cost not one thin dime," Mr. Goodman said. "The next president of the United States should sign an executive order requiring the Census Bureau to cease and desist from describing any American – even illegal aliens – as uninsured. Instead, the bureau should categorize people according to the likely source of payment should they need care. "So, there you have it. Voila! Problem solved."

This is stupid in so many ways, not the least of which is that emergency room visits are rapidly increasing while the number of available ERs is decreasing. Coupled with the fact that going to the ER is not a substitute for preventative care or dental care, and emergency room treatment is one of the most costly methods for patient care, and you begin to get an idea of how disassociated with reality these guys really are.