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Hi Ustwo,
I can't reall comment on the specifics of insurance costs and mal practice suits in the US. However, I can defend the notion of socalized medicene as you call it (I am used to hearing it described as a state healthcare system).
You make a reference to a story on the fact that the Canadian system is costing a lot of money, and that some patients are going south to pay for an operation that is unavailable on the state welfare system or that has a long waiting list. One quick minor admonishment though. It would be nice to actually have a link/reference to the story, rather than just a direct quotation!
Now, let's look at the two primary accusations raised.
1) State health care systems cost a lot of money
Well... yes. Of course they do. If the state wants to provide a minimum level of care, pay thousands of doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, hospital staff and maintain hundreds of clinics and hospitals then they have to actually spend the money! Are there some inefficencies? Yes, by all means there are. Could some things be done better? Yes, no one doubts this.
But the same could be said for practically all state related services. Would you, for example, call for the abolishment of the police department and justice systems to be replaced by private renta-cops and Judge Judy's simply because there are some inefficencies in the state system?
2) People go to the US to pay for operations that are unavailable or have long waiting lists.
Well, guess what? So what?! By it's very nature the state healthcare system is aimed at those less well off. It is a COMPLIMENTARY service to private health care. It is not meant to replace private health care, and no one implies it is. If you can pay for treatment to get it quicker, then good for you. You're lucky. Stop complaining about and threatening to remove a service that allows many others to get the same treatment without paying for it or because they can't afford it. They may have to wait in a line, but so what? Either improve the service, reduce the waiting lists or (in some cases) subsidize their direct referral to private practitioners. Do not abandon the whole system because it can't satisfy every single person at a moment's notice.
Mr Mephisto
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