This is my first time to the gulch and I probably won't follow up, but I wanted to respond to boborobdos but don't know how to attach to that thread. I am the owner of a Physical Therapy practice. As a precursor to OBAMACARE, Medicare cut all of my payments after the first 15 min w/ a patient by 50%. They are testing it on therapists as we do not have the political clout that doctors or hospitals do. You mother and mother in law had their surgeries under the system we have enjoyed for years. It will not be the same if the affordable care act is enacted as written. Here is the impact going forward. I care about my patients but I can't stay in business if I don't make a profit. So, I have increased the number of times per week I see my patients but have decreased the amount of time I see them. I make only $4-5 per visit in profit. Many practices will stop taking Medicare patients with such limited profit or more likely, you will see a therapist the first visit and see a lesser trained person for the remainder of your visits. If they extend the cuts to doctors (hospitals will be the last to suffer due to their lobbying power) many physicians will retire. The brightest minds may choose other avenues to make a living if they spend 8-12 years in school , forego compensation for years in residency and spend 6 figures on education if there is minimal compensation. That means long waits for treatment. Finally, European systems of healthcare are not working in most cases. They are collapsing under the burden. Europeans are far healthier, weigh less, and walk an avg of 3-5 miles a day. There is no way we can afford the same type of healthcare where over 70% of the population is unhealthy. It is not feasible.