To clarify a few points: This healthcare bill does not support illegal immigrants. The remaining uninsured are the middle class who do not have employer-based insurance. It is not that they don't want insurance, but the insurance options are often (overpriced) CRAP. For example, some HMOs will not cover emergency room visits, in-patient stay, etc, and it seems to me that those are the most expensive types of medical care out there.
There are many anecdotes coming out from a deeper look about the medical insurance industry that are also very disturbing. The idea of denying someone medical care b/c of pre-existing conditions, and what they define as pre-existing conditions, is bewildering. I agree an overhaul might be drastic, but there needs to be something done to place at the very least, some controls on the private insurers. If that's in the form of competition from the government's public option, so be it. It's an OPTION. I'm not sure why people are making it sound like it's being forced on them and their illegal immigrants.
Plus the AMA supports this bill, along with another bill that would not cut down on reimbursement from Medicare. People need expanded coverage. Simply letting things run at status quo is not the answer. It results in more cost as untreated patients develop worse, complicated conditions.