Today on TV I heard a Democrat Congressman discuss the healthcare situation. The Democrats say that the cost of the healthcare system is out of control and that something has to be done immediately or the world will end or something. They have to go into their whirling dervish spin mode as they try to explain how adding 40 or 50 million people to the government's charge will reduce cost. The Congressman revealed some the their planning. He says that about 1/3 of the cost is incurred during the last few months of a person's life, and that is where action is required. Apparently one idea is that people on Medicare would have to make an "end of life" agreement with the government. It was not clear what the "end of life" agreement would entail. It sounds like the person would agree that if he develops certain conditions, he would not be treated. He specifically mentioned the disease diabetes, but didn't give any details. I expect that, since I have had a heart attack and have had bypass surgery, that when my coronary arteries clog up again, I won't get treatment. It is not clear at this point if private practice would be banned, as it is in Canada. I expect that we will see more people going to India for treatment after Obama's plan, whatever it is, is put into effect. I suppose Canadians will have to start going to India instead of coming to the US for treatment that is not available to them in Canada. One question came to mind after listening to the Congressman. If the problem is primarily old people at the end of life, why can't they attack that under the Medicare and Medicaid systems which currently covers all elderly people; it does not appear that they need a new national healthcare system in order to address what they identify as the primary problem.