"jh" wrote in message
...
single payer system? I don't think so. The base system
we have is fine - the problem is that the costs are too high-

gee, and why do you think that might be??

The US gvmt is about the worst run corp. in the country - why would
anyone in their right minds want them in the insurance business?

here's a power stroke from the clue bat for ya, John. It's a government, not
a corporation. And, in the realm of healthcare insurance, the overhead for
Medicare is a fraction of that for private insurers.

I don't think the medical system we have needs fixed as much as the
insurance industry needs fixed.

or possibly eliminated. We need extra layers of middle managers, why,
exactly?

I think that what is really needed is a move to major medical expense
insurance- (catastrophic coverage) and let the individual pay 100%
for minor stuff. If the policy costs were decreased accordingly and
indiviuals were allowed to establish pre-tax medical savings accounts
that could accumulate, or even be swept into a 401 type plan. That
would work for most employed people. My policy costs me something like
8k a year- cut it back to 2 k a year and let me dump the 6 into a Med
savings account and I could have paid cash for my gall bladder surgery
a few years ago. That would cut out gobs and gobs of paperwork.

of course, none of this addresses how healthcare costs cause people to stay
wedded to certain jobs, or how companies keep people part-time to avoid
covering them.
Neither does it address folks going bankrupt when they lose jobs in the
real-world economy. Also, it doesn't' address the loss of competition for
American companies who DO actually treat workers well by covering medical
insurance costs.

In any case, this whole health plan thing is distant secondary issue
when compared to the economy.

Luckily, we at least have a President who understands that long-term, this
issue is central to maintaining a functional, competitive economy in a time
of global competition. A pity it is that you don't get it, but I doubt that
many are shocked by that fact.

As long as damn near everything you buy has Made in China on
it, we are screwed.

Wait a minute. Earlier, you praise corporate America, and here, you bemoan
the economic reality they have brought you? Who, exactly, do you think
decided that importing from China was a good idea?? American workers? I
won't belabor a point others made well, but it's all about cheap labor,
affordable shipping and high profit margins.

John

P.s. I'll save Giles the trouble

idiot

you didn't really have to add that last part. You've clearly shown your
intellect without tacking on such a concise self-descriptive tag after your
name.......

sheesh!
Tom