And, with a government subsidy, you gain nothing by paying for all those years when you don't need insurance.

So Obama's program turns out not to be one to spread insurance and thus spread the risk of costly illness, but one to make people pay 7.5 percent of their incomes once they get sick, with the government picking up their remaining premium and the health insurance customers paying for the medical expenses.

Some deal!

So tote up the cost of this bill on the middle class:

-- $1,700 more in insurance premiums for the average family.

-- Medical devices like wheelchairs and hearing aids get taxed.

-- Those who are sick must pay an average of about $600 more a year in income taxes because the bill raises the threshold for deducting medical expenses from 7.5 percent of income to 10 percent.

-- A $404 billion cut in Medicare.

-- Ending the subsidized Medicare Advantage insurance for costs over and above Medicare. Without Medicare Advantage, the elderly can only .

Isn't it interesting that the Health Care Bill writers are meeting behind very closed doors right now. No cameras, no recorders, no Republicans...just Dems. and R. Emanuel. I guess they don't want to risk anymore townhall meetings, protests, marches from their constituents. They'll just decide what's best for us and cram it down our throats.