Originally Posted by Jsmth321

I do think healthcare in the US will eventually be single payer, but I don't know if it will necessarily be at the federal level, it may end up starting at the state level in more progressive states.

Originally Posted by bats

I'd heard that BC is somehow getting round the Canada Health Act which forbids charging for any medical procedure, event, that is provided by provincial health

Chapter 2
Canada Health Act Annual Report 2012-2013 [Health Canada, 2013]

Originally Posted by R I C H

It's 12 years since L had her operation, so it's being going on for a long time.

Originally Posted by dbd33

Isn't this already the case in Oregon?

Originally Posted by dbd33

Isn't this already the case in Oregon?

Originally Posted by Jsmth321

I do think healthcare in the US will eventually be single payer, but I don't know if it will necessarily be at the federal level, it may end up starting at the state level in more progressive states.

And not all healthcare providers in the US such as hospitals are for profit, there are a lot of not for profit hospitals in the US and not for profit health organizations but of course they need to charge patients to cover their costs, and recoup losses from those unable to pay via those who can pay either via insurance or self pay.

Originally Posted by MarkG

No, it needs to eliminate all the preferential legal treatment that allows healthcare companies to push their costs way above market rate. Like preventing people from importing medicine from Mexico where it costs a few dollars, so they can be charged hundreds or thousands of dollars for the same thing just across the border. Or offering different prices for cash vs insurance.

Now, that may result in lower wages, but I doubt they're a large proportion of the cost of healthcare. American doctors may be better paid than in most countries, but I don't believe they're that much better paid.

Originally Posted by Oink

I always thought that the scope of Obama's policy was too great. I understand what he was trying to do but unless it was a single payer/taxation system then it would have been best left to the states. The federal govt. should have done what they do best through bullying and cajoling the states into adopting a public health system. But I fear there are just too many interests that don't want to pay for black and brown people to have quality healthcare.