Alon, consider the trade balance between the US an...

Alon, consider the trade balance between the US and China. As you know, the US has quite a significant trade deficit with China, which is only possible because the US has such a low savings rate, and China has such a high one. China's savings rate is so high in part because people are trying to build up huge amounts of savings to make up for the lack of social insurance. So, in a way, our current economy depends on China's population not having health insurance. Which is yet another reason why that whole arrangement needs to change, and the sooner the better.Also, and this isn't really addressed to anyone in particular, but nobody really needs health insurance. We need health, and health care is often an important factor in maintaining that health, and insurance is a way to help pay for that health care. But it's at least two steps removed from the actual goal. Treating health insurance as something fundamental is, in my opinion, one of the main reasons the whole health care debate is such a mess in this country.