Interesting statistic in comment section here:
The Shumlin Spin Game
So, If H. 304 passes in Vermont, we'll have a "single payer" for hospital services, but it won't include Medicare, or Medicaid or ERISA plans. That means it will cover about around 25% of the dollars spent in hospitals. 25%. Period.

The only problem with your solution is that everywhere else they are facing unsustainable growth rates, and as the late great economist Herb Simon has said, "Unsustainable trends are not sustained."

So your next solution would be?

P.S. The French use private insurers too.

Uh the VA health system is one of our better ones.
Read about it.

Really, then why did my step-father, who has a very serious problem with cancer, go outside the VA system? Granted the VA is still doing some good stuff, but it isn't the be all and end all.

You mean like the military and VA systems we currently have? Not thanks, been there, done that, still doing it, and it isn't anything to write home about.

Uh the VA health system is one of our better ones.
Read about it.

If you are thinking of the horrible conditions at Walter Reed, keep in mind those occured AFTER management was turned over to a private company (gosh what a surprise).

Hey, remember back when Bush & the neocons had such a hard-on to privatize Social Security and put it in the hands of outfits like Citibank? Good times, good times...

Heh, I had forgotten about that, sure puts that whole debate into perspective, doesn't it?

You mean like the military and VA systems we currently have? Not thanks, been there, done that, still doing it, and it isn't anything to write home about.

I’m shocked! Shocked I say. You mean to tell me that when you offer a subsidized commodity in a market with similar commodities that are not subsidized, people go for the subsidized one instead?!?!?! Simply amazing.

Which is why plans predicated upon government working with the current system are retarded. We don't need government and private insurers, we just need to eliminate the latter group like the parasites that they are. Then we can run a clean intelligent government service like all those countries that absolutely bury ous in every health stat.

You mean to tell me that when you offer a subsidized commodity in a market with similar commodities that are not subsidized, people go for the subsidized one instead?!?!?! Simply amazing.

That's one explanation. Or, when the economy tanks and people are working low-paying and/or multiple jobs just to keep basic amenities going, those crappy jobs don't provide health care at all.

Hey, remember back when Bush & the neocons had such a hard-on to privatize Social Security and put it in the hands of outfits like Citibank? Good times, good times...