I highly recommend reading this "companion article":
GOP Wants to Curb Medicaid Estate Planning (translation: FRAUD)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1393378/posts
To slow the rapidly growing Medicaid program, some lawmakers would like to make it harder for the elderly to shelter their assets as a way to have the government cover more of their nursing home expenses.
GOP members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee asked state Medicaid directors on Wednesday what they have done to curb "Medicaid estate planning," in which assets are transferred so people look poor on paper and thus qualify for Medicaid.
Medicaid is expected to grow at a rate of 7.4 percent annually over the coming decade.
The Bush administration has estimated that changing the policy on the transfer of assets could save taxpayers $4.5 billion over that time.
Maybe my thinking is too extreme but why dont we just get the government out of the medical field and let the free market dictate the price of medical services? Maybe it makes too much sense. I dont know.