Hi Mario, Merely throwing cliches (socialized ... privately paid (systems) ... specious ... scariest), calls for Ronald Reagan's quote, "There he goes again".:=)). I am sure you know all of the following, but I thought to elaborate and provide some existing examples. 1. FINANCING the healthcare is always by the greenback and from individuals. Call it what one may - "taxes" or "premiums". 2. A single payer system is not / does not have to be a government-run enterprise. 3. Many public services are delivered by quasi-independent authorities (e.g. water, postal, power plants) or contracted from private companies traded on Wall Street e.g. utility companies - telephone, electricity or garbage disposal. 4. The independent "healthcare board" directly or through a regional intermediary, channels the money to individuals / institutions that DELIVER the healthcare. Yet as payers, the board or intermediary has the ability / responsibility to streamline the system for the benefit of ALL clients within the region, - providing quality care without duplicating the costs and services. With healthcare forming 16 percent of the GDP, any efficiency in the system will positively impact on the overall economy, not to mention millions of lives.
Finally Happy Thanksgiving holiday to you and your family. Hope all goanetters have much to thank Him, for all they have received this year. Kind Regards, GL --------------- Mario Goveia I think it would be specious for anyone to insist that the socialized systems are "better" than the privately paid systems, and equally specious to insist that a privately paid system is "better" than a socialized system. It all depends on one's circumstances, doesn't it? "The scariest words in the English language are, I'm from the government and I'm here to help you!" - Ronald Reagan
