I think I've lost count of the number of time on Hacker News (and else where) that I read about a founder that got sick and didn't have health insurance. So on top of a life threatening illness one has to worry about paying for it all. And as one who does pay for health insurance it now costs me the sum of a very good used used car every year.

Given this situation I'm frankly amazed that every business leader in this country isn't calling for socialized medicine at this point in time. At this point I see the insurance companies and the surrounding ecosystem as something that hurts us in a global economy.