Am I missing the math in health care?

I own a home for which I pay homeowners insurance. I'm guessing, if I add it all up, I've paid less than $10,000 over the past 15 years.

Let's say my home burns down tomorrow and I get a check for $250,000; my insurance company just lost about $240,000.

Oh, but all the other homeowners are paying also, and their homes didn't burn down. So, my insurace company can afford to pay for mine without going broke.

Now, let's look at health care. How many people are paying in and not using any services? This would be virtually none.

How many people are paying in and using more than their insurance premiums? This would be some.

How many people are not paying anything and using services? This would be what caused health care reform to be done.

So, when David Brenneman praises U.S. Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (May 4 letters to the editor) for their vote on health care reform, he better make sure they are writing a check to go along with that vote — because health care doesn't operate on votes, it operates on dollars.

It doesn't take much for a rich man to make less money to pay less taxes, but try getting a middle class man who is living paycheck to paycheck to make more money to pay the increase in his taxes. It's virtually impossible.

Those who think these votes are going to bring in the money to pay for their health care might be surprised to learn that they will be paying the bill or forgoing the health care.