Canadian Consensus - View our election through the neighbor's window :)

[Anaxogoras]

Because US health care (not the system) is the best in the world and the overwhelming percent of people are already covered, I'd first try tweaking the current system system, esp in administration and delivery, before trying to replace the entire system with a new socialized system.

Saying that most are covered is a misuse of the word.  I'd go for "conditionally covered" as a more accurate term.  A lot people don't realize that their insurance can and will screw them if their illness gets bad enough, sometimes legally, sometimes illegally.  (Let's not forget that dental/vision are frequently left out from the start, too)

When the politicians and media use the word "covered" to describe most Americans' health care status it amounts to a kind of Orwellian thought-control by means of language.

[Toad]

When the politicians and media use the word "covered" to describe most Americans' health care status it amounts to a kind of Orwellian thought-control by means of language.

So you're saying it's like the national systems around the world? You're covered.... eventually. A short wait of a year or so for your MRI?

[Anaxogoras]

I'm not saying it doesn't happen in other countries, too.

[JoeA]

Saying that most are covered is a misuse of the word.  I'd go for "conditionally covered" as a more accurate term.  A lot people don't realize that their insurance can and will screw them if their illness gets bad enough, sometimes legally, sometimes illegally. 

I think you are talking about rationing services (cost control) which is a mandatory part of any health care system unless you want to spend the entire GDP on health care.  In the US, the insurance company is hired to do that nasty job which is one of the main reasons everyone hates insurance companies.  Socialized systems do the rationing in a different manner so you get some other group to hate.