Well, if it's a matter of what I 'want'...I don't want to get a life threatening illness at all, and if I did, yes I'd want it to be half-way convenient to get effective treatment. But since you mention Europe and Asia, the world's top 29 countries for quality of health care are within those two continents, so I guess I could do worse, right? By definition, I'd be doing worse to stay here in the US than i would to be in Europe or Asia right now, as far as health care is concerned- unless you count Mayo Clinic and other world-class hospitals that I'd never be able to afford anyway. But let's be real, universal health care would allow somebody like me to get treated in the first place, which is better than getting no treatment, or sending myself into bankruptcy in the case that I go to a public hospital for whatever bottom-level treatment they give to those of us with no insurance.

For the wealthy in the world, this isn't even an issue, of course I'd want to go where treatment is best, but that's not an option- it's the middle and the bottom rungs that feel the quality, good and bad, of available health care.

I do realize government doesn't succeed in everything it does- some people say it succeeds in doing very little, and as much as I don't trust government at all, even I think that's taking the argument a little too far.

Canada's health care system is definately not perfect. It pisses me off every day. It is expensive and and it pisses me off when I see people abusing it. (practicioners and patients). But...the abuses are far greater in our privately run portions. In the public....you get what you need. Whether that be a cortisone injection, and x-ray or open heart surgery. In the private...you get more than you need, because profits need to be maximixed and the practicioners will bleed the insurance companies dry to get their fill. These insurance companies then tighten the leash and look for loop holes in order to prevent paying out insurance money for care for their customers. As I said before, the pursuit of profit makes for a very bad standard or care. And this is what is happening every day in the US system on a larger scale. The difference is...in the US this costs lives.

Most MDs here also get paid by the patient instead of salary, which is a terrible idea in my opinion.

I would never say that the US needs to get a system just like Canada. But they definately need to do something about the 50 million people that can't get basic care. I find it odd that the most economically powerful nation on Earth would let 1/6 of its population go without basic health care.



Once again, the issue is not the quality of care for those that can afford it, but the lack of care for those that don't.

I'm still a little confused as to the arguments of the anti-universal health care faction. Aside from the anti-government paranoia, what exactly are your reasons? Is it simply a selfish individualism? "Well, I'm covered so to hell with everyone else." ?

Could you imagine if law enforcement was privatized? "Ooops, sorry sir. I know that you're being held at gunpoint right now but your insurance plan doesn't cover armed robbery with a 9mm. Sorry."

Ridiculous right? I agree.