[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

That IS just a talking point by the insurance companies that make HIGH profits and are happy that the US is the BACKWARD outlier in the world with respect to National Health Care. Incidentally, Sweden, Canada, and all the others are happy with their National Health Care - they pay LESS and get MORE. US health care is so bad that people visiting from Europe take out health insurance because the US is so BACKWARD. Also, the US VA system is basically National Health Care for veterans, who get better prices on medicine and good care for less money. It just makes sense because the VA system is NOT a for-PROFIT system like the insurance companies, which are inefficient due to too many middle managers and too much advertising and time fighting other competing insurance companies.
........Also just check the world lists for qualities like INFANT MORTALITY and you will find that the US ranks very low compared to the countries with National Health Care. Also average height......again the US is low. That tells you that US health care is very low on world standards. US insurance companies "toot their own horn" and US citizens buy into that fallacy. The US leads the world in Medical Science and research, but it does NOT trickle down to the ordinary citizen!

Actually my comment was based on talking to Canadians about their system. Many will come to the US for procedures and pay full price in order to not succomb to their illness.