Most of us who do feel comfortable because we have medical coverage do not have coverage for catastrophic illnesses that might result in long-term care, such as might require nursing home care, assisted living care or home care, all of which are incredibly expensive. For that type of care, one needs long-term catastrophic insurance. President Bush has suggested that we should all have long-term insurance. The only problem with that is that the insurance companies charge an incredible amount and if you have any type of preexisting condition your costs will either be much higher or you will simply be denied. Personally, I have a history of cancer, back problems and heart problems, so I have no chance of getting long-term catastrophic coverage. I will have to be lucky and suffer a heart attack or a reoccurrence of cancer, a short-term wherein either I win or the disease wins, but does so quickly so that it will not wipe out my finances and leave my family destitute.

It may sound strange, but I often think that any country that would have lawyers who do what I do must have a medical system severely in need of repair. In my lectures I often tell the audience about how I once tried to impress a woman from Denmark with what I did for a living. She simply could not comprehend that I helped people save their money when they got sick. The notion of illness costing money was completely foreign to her, as I think it well should be. Needless to say, I did not make a great impression.

There is a presidential election on the horizon and, as with any presidential election, there is hope. I have heard candidates talking about national health insurance, but so far it seems that the talk is somewhat vague and obscure. On some level I am very proud that I will possibly live to see either an African American or a woman be elected president. When I was a child it was a major occurrence that a Catholic was elected. However, on a fundamental level will there be any significant changes in the health care system? Will middle class people continue to have to plan and be concerned not only about long-term catastrophic illness but whether or not it might wipe them and their families out financially? Will those unfortunate people who have no insurance be forced to make life-and-death decisions not based on the need for health care but rather on their financial situation?

This is a great country - maybe it is the greatest country in the world - but there is no excuse for having lawyers who do the work I do, and I would be perfectly happy to do something else for a living if this disastrous health situation could be resolved.