[quote=CA renter][quote=ocrenter][quote=air_ogi]The right solution would be to start over, scrap the current system completely. Do what Taiwan did, research existing systems and implement pieces that work the best.

With all of this talk of socialism, the numbers are simple. Would you switch to socialist Canadian system if it meant Canada level healthcare and saving $4000 per member of you family every year?[/quote]

I think the most important take away from the Taiwan experience is that picking a single payer system does not equal a country is going down that socialist pathway. that’s just how the debate here in this country has morphed into.

in fact, if a government truly is pro-business, it’ll want to support that single payer system. As it would remove the burden of providing care from the employer and allow people the freedom to leave jobs and start new businesses.[/quote]

Bingo, OCR![/quote]

Yup. Hit the nail on the head.

At least 80% of the US population would be better off with a single-payer (government) system. The only folks who wouldn’t be better off would be (1) people who work in the health care and health insurance fields, and (2) folks who would otherwise be “waiting in the queue” for complicated medical procedures. (Some rationing of health care is unavoidable unless we want health care costs to continue rising at a percentage of GDP – theoretically, there’s a limit… but who knows where it is given our system.)

I also agree that part of the problem is that the health care debate has been allowed to get framed in the “socialism vs. free market” context, while it’s a clear case of market failure (in my view, at least).