SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA - A town with a doughnut factory has a high percentage of Type II diabetes... Who'd a thunk it.

Many people think that government is making the medical industry worse, but there are countries will fully nationalized health care and many people in those countries love their healthcare, especially the cost.

So you can mount the argument, but can you point to a nation with a fully privatized healthcare system as an example of where and how this works? How it is better? I am sure improvements could be made to the nationalized healthcare structures of Sweden, Germany, Denmark, and the U.K., but they provide a functioning model. Can fully privatized, "free market" healthcare say the same? If not, it is just people complaining.

Also, ones ability to choose - A/K/A "purchasing power" goes right out the window (sometimes literally) when the appendix ruptures or the person flies through the windshield of a car. They are in no position to "shop around".

MSgt Steve Sweeney - sometimes we see young and healthy people loving socialized healthcare, but when they get in a position where they really need healthcare, they come here. That is despite the fact that in my assessment we have the worst of both worlds, resulting in the highest per capita healthcare expenditures of the developed world and the worst health outcomes. Regarding the costs of socialized healthcare, hidden costs (taxes) are easy to overlook, and their already high taxes would often be significantly higher if their national defense were not outsourced or subsidized by US. There are free market ways to arrange a healthcare system that avoid nightmare scenarios of coldhearted doctors demanding the deed to your house before they save your life.

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA - I am sure there are some that come here for needed healthcare they can't find in their own country, but I would also presume the percentage is low and anecdotal. No doubt it happens, but probably not as much as you think. I would be happy to look at the data if you have any.

There very well may be free market ways to arrange a healthcare system, but when profit is prioritized over outcomes, I don't think you will have much luck in doing so. "No money in the cure" as they say. And while you may argue it is government involvement that throws a wrench into the free market system, I could equally argue it is the profit mongering businesses that work to rig the system in their favor. Who is really to blame? The referee (government) or the players (big industry XXX).

MSgt Steve Sweeney you're right. The problem is the intersection of big business with big government. Neither one can get anywhere near as big and dangerous without the other.