Great points. But: How do you make a living while combatting this? I am torn on the question of universal medical coverage, for complex reasons that I imagine no one here wants to hear. I am wondering, though, if anyone has any ideas on how America could implement government funded, universal healthcare, what pitfalls we should look out for, etc.
I am a Canadian who has lived for several years in the U.S., and I now live in Australia. I can say unequivocally that despite its problems, socialized medicine (the Canadian system) is far superior to what I experienced in the U.S.. In Canada, I need health services, I go get it. Period. In the U.S., I have to make sure I go to the right doctor, deal with the insurance company, worry about weather the insurance comp…
But: I nearly died twelve years ago. I am clear my excellent medical coverage, which helped me get good dental care, helped poison me. I have spent the last twelve years getting well instead of politely dying from my genetic disorder like the world would like me to do. I used to have an extremely good friend in Canada and I am abundantly familiar with the fact that Canadians who live along the border sometimes drive to the U.S. and pay out of pocket in order to get around the sometimes months long waiting lists common in Canada, and there is a complex relationship between the American system and the funding of drug research globally. As I understand it, in general terms, the U.S. takes the brunt of the costs of new drugs and pays crazy high brand name prices for a decade to cover the sunk cost of research and then after we have covered this essential cost, it becomes a generic and is marketed globally at much more reasonable prices. So it is possible that drug research could come to a virtual standstill if the American system changed.
Furthermore, military members, military retirees, and government employees operate under a very different system from general civilians. There isn't just one American system. And military service is, from what I gather, far more common in the U.S. than in many other countries.
So as I said initially: I am conflicted. I think it is far more complex than most people realize. But having worked for an insurance company, I am inclined to believe that if the world decided "health insurance" (edit: of the "major medical" variety) was the Darth Vader of our galaxy and should be hunted down and made extinct, most likely the world would be a better place. So I return to my original question: Anyone have any thoughts on how to accomplish that in the U.S.?
Thanks for replying and have an upvote.
* Except briefly when my husband was a recruiter and we were stationed somewhere without a base, but it was still different from what civilians live with.