Sam, the link you posted is intresting but where does personal choice come to play here? I know that you feel strongly that the goverment must have a plan in place to care for the population but what about the citizen working and providing his family with the healthcare they need. Yes I am aware that some can't afford quality healthcare, but I still don't see that requirement in our beloved constitution. If you want to make healthcare affordable then lets attack the lawyers and insurance companies.

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An informed voter scares the Goverment lackeys.

An American first and always a Conservative.

Like I said before, I work and my company thinks enough of my effort to provide healthcare benefits that we split the cost of. I work for me and the good of my family. I do not give a shit what someone else's situation may be and I will not work harder or give up anymore of my money (nor should my employer give up more of his) to provide for anyone not of our choosing.

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Liberal-a person who has his cake, eats his cake, and complains that other people don't have cake, and believes that you should donate your cake to them

I am not sure that is the solution that is being driven at here.

In addition to the problems Rob says the drugs manufacturers are absolutely raping us blind.

SB, this has multi-layers of problems.

Okay...I'm going to put my butt on the line here, but since I am naive about American healthcare, I have to ask. Please keep the name calling to a minimum please...

But why doesn't the United States have Health Care coverage? I mean, I pay my taxes and from the few people I have talked to in the States, I probably pay less than you do. There is no big tax that we pay to have coverage. And everything is covered. Other that prescriptions and devices, like crutches or air casts ( which they refund when you return them ) I have never payed a penny in heath costs. And for those who can't afford prescriptions there is a thing called the Trillium fund to help. The only cost you pay here, is if you want a private in hospital. That costs me about $25 a month.

So forgive me for being naive...but could someone explain. Because your health care costs are unbelieviable!

Thornbird I could talk all night on this subject but I am leaving at 5 AM in the morning to go to a conference on healthcare.

You will have people screaming at you. There are pros and cons of all healthcare systems and lots of steps in between that Americans are not aware of. America is in a healthcare crisis with half uninsured and skyrocketing medical bills. There are about 7 reasons for the high medical costs and many solutions.

In 2007 Mass. will require all citizens to have health insurance. I do not know if their new system will work but the medical community is watching it closely. It will not raise taxes and should bring down costs.

Do you like your healthcare system? I am impressed with your medical community!

Did you know that one antibiotic manufactured in the US cost $232 per dose to US hospitals and is sold to Canada for one third the cost because your government insisted on a contract with the pharmaceutical company.

Do forum members think pharmaceuticals should have negotiated contracts with medicare and medicaid? Do you mind paying 3 times as much for the same drug we sell to Canada for one third the price?

One interesting aspect:The major cause of bankruptcy in America of a working person is a major healthcare crisis and medical bills.I am not for socialized medicine but there are other choices and currently our system is broken.

Good Luck TB.You have opened up a firestorm of a discussion.

Wrong ! I have never endorsed a government healthcare plan. I do not have time now but there are other choices and right now Americans are being robbed by the pharmaceutical industry.The current medical care system only works for about one third of the population. We can do better!

As I said, we are getting raped.

This is total crap, I hate it.

This is well documented, it is not people using credit cards; that is a smoke screen excuse.

Thank you Sam, for your honesty and explanation, it is appreciated. I am not trying to cause trouble here, I am just trying to understand.

Yes but when you go into the hospital you will be charged such an inflated price that indirectly you are paying.If you think your insurance company will pick it all up you are misguided.They will pick and choose and you could get stuck with 15 % of a 100,000 bill. Indirectly you will be paying for someone without insurance. I am not advocating socialized medicine but required health insurance for all with premium assistance for those below poverty levels that are working.Premium assistance would cost less than all the federal funding currently given to keep hospitals afloat.