Most expensive insurance ever :)

Finally, some numbers to feed the economist in me.  The proposed health care bill now has an official price tag, something critics and supporters alike have been asking for.  So, for health care reform that includes affordable public options for the uninsured akin to co-ops rather than the government option proposed by President Obama, we will have a new $856 billion bill to foot.  The breakdown:

$507 billion will be provided from cutting down government-funded health care
$349 billion will come from new taxes, fees, etc.

Honestly, I think the co-ops may not be all bad, at least it provides and alternative to overpriced insurance with high deductibles from giants such as Atnea, United HealthCare, and Kaiser to name a few. For critics who think it would be a waste of money and a failure, one word: Iraq. To date, the War in Iraq is costing:

and we have yet to withdraw, successfully transfer power, or meet our so called objective--oh wait there wasn't one just a personal family vendetta.  Afghanistan, different story and I can throw my weight behind that war, at least there was a clear, not contrived, reason for it.

So, I think we can afford to take a risk with something that will at least meet its objective.