America's Free Market Healthcare Myth (health care, Reid, insurance, politicians)

[Motion]

The major difference between America and Europe of course is that America does not guarantee universal health insurance whereas Europe does. But this is not as big a deal as it might seem. Uncle Sam, along with state governments, still picks up nearly half of the country's $2.5 trillion annual health care tab.

More importantly, contrary to popular mythology, America does offer public care of sorts. It directly covers about a third of all Americans through Medicare (the public program for the elderly) and Medicaid (the public program for the poor). But it also indirectly covers the uninsured by—at least in part—paying for their emergency care. In effect, anyone in America who does not have private insurance is on the government dole in one way or another.

The Myth of Free-Market Health Care in America - Reason Magazine

I found this interesting because those who want America to have a universal healthcare system(single payer) say that the U.S system is an example of how free market healthcare doesn't work.

[Motion]

So reforming the U.S healthcare system should be based on an clear understanding of the system of healthcare that we actually have in America and not what people(politicians)think we have is what I got from that article. To those who want to expand governement involvement in U.S healthcare how do you first fix the problems with medicare and medicaid?

[theolsarge]

I'd wager a high percentage of people who comment on any of the health care legislation are only expressing comments they've heard or read. Here's some (actual) researched facts, not hearsay.

A Practically Fact-Free Attack on Reid | FactCheck.org

[ovcatto]

"comments they've heard or read"

So you can't do research by listening to policy experts or reading? That seems a bit silly regardless of where one stands on the issue.