[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

But your proposing that everyone should have the same insurance and that is not what Americans want. We all want to choose our own insurance...

I'm not sure I'd agree that we all want to choose our insurance -- for all practical purposes, most of us don't now. We go with what our workplace provides; at most, choice goes to the level of coverage or choosing to buy additional coverage. Sure, maybe I could decide to forgo what I have at work and look elsewhere for coverage for my family, but practically speaking that's not an option because of pre-existing conditions and other concerns. I think that when most Americans talk about "choice" with regard to insurance, they mean choice as to doctors and other health care providers, not as to insurance coverage.

Maybe I'm off here, but I think what most people want in health care coverage is stability. I know I'm not alone is seeing premiums, deductables and co-pays all shoot up like crazy in recent years -- much faster than income has. I think we want to see some brakes on the sky-rocketing costs. I think we don't want to have to worry about what happens to health insurance if we lose a job, or to have to turn down that new job we might really want because insurance concerns get in the way.

And I'll add that I doubt I'm alone in thinking that if insurance companies provided more coverage or incentives for preventive medicine and wellness, costs for curative medicine might down.

If health care is to be universal, then every American citizen should be expected to have some level of responsibility towards covering their own insurance needs. Leaving the health care expenses for the nation to the tax payers is ridiculous.

I'm not really agreeing or disagreeing with you -- more paying devil's advocate -- but why is it ridiculous? If everyone paid for health insurance through taxes, particularly if they are "targeted taxes" like paying into Social Security, then everyone is sharing in the responsibility for coverage, including their own. Doesn't seem that different from personal responsibility through paying premiums.

Meanwhile, those of us who have coverage are paying for those who don't, either through taxes or through higher bills from health care providers to make up the difference.

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Everyone hates to hear the word "rationing" but it's how reasonably priced health care is meted out with or without insurance as the payor.

Exactly.