we need it to be mandatory for EVERY American to be uninsured

[leftofthedial]

we need universal, not-for-profit health care

ZERO insurance.

[villager]

1. actually, if we could boycott those bastard companies for just three or four months...

... we'd have them on their knees...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Hee hee!

I'll admit I wasn't sure what your OP would say, but I like your style! You know, the fact that we're dead last in health care among 20 developed countries should be a clue that for profit health insurance just isn't healthy.

[Naturyl]

3. Yes. We need real national health care.

Let the HMO's eat cake.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

4. EXACTLY! That's the problem. The candidates keep being nice to health insurance companies....

.. make health insurance companies obsolete. But they donate too much $ to campaigns, and campaign funding is the only way elections can run here in the U.S. :(

[leftofthedial]

6. get money out of health care

then get money out of politics

100% publicly financed campaigns--anything else is BRIBERY

[Thothmes]

8. You cannot uncouple money from health care

Do you expect the physicians, technicians, nurses, hospital janitors, cooks and clerks to work for free. Do you expect the people that manufacture xray, MRI, EKG machines, sheets, towels, syringes, pharmaceuticals and prosthetics to give their products away. Do you expect the hospitals and clinics to be built free? All of these thinks needs to be paid for.

[Missy Vixen]

9. Of course you can

>Do you expect the people that manufacture xray, MRI, EKG machines, sheets, towels, syringes, pharmaceuticals and prosthetics to give their products away.<

In the fantasy world some DU'ers live in, people shouldn't actually be paid for their work, unless they're working for one of the Socially Acceptable Careers some here seem to believe in. After all, those who make any kind of living in health care are bloodsucking, greedy types, and it should all be free! free! free!

I might mention that even going a month without health care insurance would leave an awful lot of people DEAD around the country.

Julie

[leftofthedial]

22. in countries with universal health care

(France, Canada, UK, Norway, Sweden, etc.)

health workers are paid.

Getting "money out of health care" means getting corporate profit and the corporate profit motive out of health care.

[Thothmes]

23. Your right, some would argue that is the way it should be.

[Hobarticus]

12. Sdaly, I don't think you can do it overnight, without their involvement

It's an $11 billion industry. They have the network, they have the infrastructure in place...

Not defending them in any way, shape, or form, but there's far more to this than just campaign contributions.

[madokie]

5. exactly right you are

[RB TexLa]

7. And people that don't want the coverage?

[Hobarticus]

10. Of universal health care?

Sure you understand the concept?

[RB TexLa]

11. Yes, I do.

[Hobarticus]

13. Okay.

[RB TexLa]

14. And if someone wants to refuse the coverage?

You do realize no matter what you think of it people can think and choose to want or not want something themselves.

[Hobarticus]

15. Guess that should be your right, for whatever reason you choose

Thanks for paying taxes for my universal health care, though.

[RB TexLa]

16. Many people pay taxes for things they don't use. I pay for medicaid, which I don't use

but I don't want to see the poor dying on the streets either.

I wasn't necessarily talking about myself refusing it, but if someone wants to. Just seems you see the mandatory part too much.

[Hobarticus]

18. I really don't care if someone would elect to pass on free health care

Sounds like navel-gazing to ponder this, to me. But as you say, that's your right to do so.

I see mandatory part too much? "You do realize no matter what you think of it people can think and choose to want or not want something themselves", right?

[leftofthedial]

21. then don't go to the doctor

or go to private doctors, who probably would still practice.

[TahitiNut]

17. Well, they can opt not to be covered for health care when *I* can opt not to be covered ....

... by a MILITARY with a budget that's bigger than the entire rest of the world combined.

Until then .... FUCK those who don't want health care coverage!

[Hobarticus]

19. Careful....you're about to get a civics lesson eom

[TahitiNut]

20. I've heard the dystopian wet-dreams before.

They're like macho trapeze 'artists' who claim they've never used the net ... but it's there for when they do.