[Hog1]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

1. With a national health plan, your employer's HMO coverage will eventually become more expensive. Initially, your quality of care will not decrease. At some point, as more and more people become "uninsured" and rely on the national plan, your employer's HMO become more expensive and he will eventually drop it leaving you with the national plan.

2. In general, and as I have pointed out above, having uninsured is NOT good for the rest of the insurance pool. Rather, having a large number of healthy young people paying for insurance lowers costs for all insureds.

3. I have not said that universal health care is a tragedy, rather, I suggest that to expect, in a nation of 250 million, high quality care at bargain basement prices is unrealistic. Clearly, universal healthcare improves coverage for the uninsured. I merely suggest that for a vast majority of americans, such changes will make their own insurance either more expensive or provide less insurance.

4. Wow!!! I get to be an apex predator?? Cool!! (usually, I am just some middle of the pack herd animal attempting to find todays veggies).

I think that is probably the case. How have the Cannucks and the Brits faired with similar idea's in mind. From the people I know that live or have lived in those countries, They have it........but it.......ain't great. Hard to see anyone for an appointment....marginal quality. I do not believe as you have stated it can be done "GOOD AND CHEAP". It will require a....shocking financial commitment. And finally "Apex predator"? That's sweet. Wil;l we be seeing you on the next episode of "the Cougar"?