Somebody: Of *course* most of the uninsured, particularly the young and healthy, would save money by spending out of pocket. The purpose of reforming health care isn't to maximize an individuals savings. The point is that nobody's invulnerable, and as it is, many Americans are waiting until they reach the emergency room before seeking treatment. Unlike the Democrats, I don't really care about the relative high cost of emergency room care, but the point is that the risk of death or permanent harm is greater if you don't regularly see a doctor.
So, no they can't just "wing it" as Eric suggests. Winging it has helped produce the atrocious health indicators that make the U.S. the embarrassment of the industrialized world.
A more productive use of the left's time would have been to fight for greater subsidies and greater insurance regulation in the final bill, rather than waging a Quixotic fight to save the public option or introduce a single-payer system. As it is, the former goals can be fought for the future *if* the bill passes.