While I'm sure the movie gets people thinking, I'm having trouble buying the majority of that post.

When MM has his cardiac event, I am sure he will go to Cuba for some of that old fashioned, state of the art, socialized medical care.

You know, you're right. It's what we have now, or Cuba. There's nothing any good anywhere in between.

If the 'national' or even the 'new' system that the state is working on is anything like the Oregon Health Plan then I'll pass. My fear, a health plan that the government has a huge hand in will be like doing health care in the DMV - no thank you.

My fear, a health plan that the government has a huge hand in will be like doing health care in the DMV - no thank you.

Why wouldn't it be more like Medicare or Social Security, two very popular, very efficient big gubmint programs?

I'm always amazed that people are willing to trust their money and health to a motley assortment of corporations, completely beyond accountability, demonstrably wasteful in their administration, and openly hostile to their constituents, over something we know can work efficiently and openly for everyone.

Do we really love private insurance companies that much? Is fealty to market economics more important than the health of our children?

I think Sam the Tram could make some massive inroads into solving our health care system. Maybe a tram on every street going directly to Pill Hill?

We don't want any government mucking around in our health care. No sirree, we're smarter than that. Not gonna be like those poor slobs in France or Germany or Canada who spend less, get better care, and live longer than we do. That's not for the likes of us. We know better!

I have to admit, I really cant stand MM either (his other movies are truly crap), but I saw this movie, because I, like most people, have been victimized by the health care industry. And I wanted to see what he had to say. This movie has changed my mind a bit about MM. It was a great film. And it wasnt all Bush-bashing like I expected. He bashed the system as a whole. And thats the idea I think. Its not a partisan thing.
I do think some of it is a bit of a stretch, such as an American just being able to walk into a Cuban hospital and get care. But I understand what he is trying to do.

Why wouldn't it be more like Medicare or Social Security, two very popular, very efficient big gubmint programs?

You honestly think Medicare and SS are efficient?

You know, you're right. It's what we have now, or Cuba. There's nothing any good anywhere in between.

Sadly Jack, I think thats true. As long as the pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies are making billions, things are never going to change. And lets not forget all that money that goes to many politicians in DC. They are all bought and paid for.

People think the oil companies are the evil ones...I dont think they have anything on the health care industry.

You honestly think Medicare and SS are efficient?

You honestly think private insurance companies are efficient? Go look up how much of our health care costs are administrative overhead and profit. Then look up those numbers for Medicare.

Then come back and tell me which is more "efficient".

Come on.

You're arguing with someone who actually thinks George Bush is doing an o.k. job. There's no hope there.

"fealty to market economics"

Can you explain why an electric powered wheel chair can cost 450 per month to rent?

A Prius lease can cost 250 per month.

If car sellers could get government to intervene in private contracts for cars just as with medical services, on the side of providers to act as super debt collectors, then cars or car prices could become a growth industry worthy of private equity investment by public employee pension funds.

One of my outdoor neighbors proudly reports that he survived a ruptured aortic aneurysm, after being left for dead; missing lower leg (from gangrene) and grotesquely disfiguring hernia notwithstanding.

Imagine if government, by paying the costs for his care, sat in his shoe_ by way of subrogation (and that of many others, including children AND THIER PARENTS) and sought recovery for poor care and/or overpriced care? Imagine further that the government could do this administratively (i.e., without going to court), thus asserting an offensive use of a due process liberty interest to object by giving some narrow window of time before demanding the administratively determined award from a service provider? Fat chance. Think party-neutral political fealty.

I've got (secretly taken) obscured video of the Proud Portland Police nicely trying to cajole my outdoor neighbor to move along, off of church property, on a partially functional old wheelchair, even though they must know he has no place to go -- other than in circles (like some folk's reasoning).

MM might reveal symptoms but I still would not turn to him for a diagnosis or cure.

-- Citizen Rebel

As for myself, I consider myself as good as dead upon the first catastrophic event. And, as a debt slave my owner (uncle sam) has dutifully obtained life insurance so that I am better off dead anyway.

My life would still be better off if one of my outdoor neighbors could get a cheap functioning electric wheel chair. But it is too expensive, by design.

Last time I visited Good Sam, for a nasty case of "pinkeye" caused by stupidly shaking the sweaty hand of a filthy homeless man in my front yard, it cost me over $500, for 15 minutes of their time and a prescription.

Unlike the vast majority of the uninsured who use the ER as their primary care provider, I paid the doctor for his time.

I rarely if ever go to the hospital, for anything, anymore. They nearly killed my little sister last month, misdiagnosed her meningitis and everything. She had to literally turn blue and die, with the alarm bells ringing, before they came in and revived her, and finally gave her some mediocre care.

That run-down hospital, in Texas, is totally and utterly overwhelmed with hordes of uninsured people, many of them illegal aliens.

Yeah, our health care system is broke beyond repair, I'll say that much.

"Why wouldn't it be more like Medicare or Social Security, two very popular, very efficient big gubmint programs?"

I can't beleive I just read that. If any marginal financial manager only achieved the rate of return that SS nets, he would have been fired instantly.

You're arguing with someone who actually thinks George Bush is doing an o.k. job. There's no hope there.

I see. If someone doesnt completely agree with your view, then they cant think rationally about anything else? Nice.

Way up above, somebody bashed the DMV. In Oregon, I've had nothing but excellent service at the DMV. If a single payer health care system was that good, I'd have no problem with it.

As it is now, I'm thinking about dumping my monthly insurance payment, which has no co-pays and an enormous deductible, and starting a little fund earmarked for travel. Specifically, medical tourism. Don't need heart surgery in India, yet, but I might buy a set of hearing aids in Mexico or Korea for a fifth of what they would cost here.

News flash, Butch: Social Security isn't an investment fund. It's a transfer payment program funded by payroll taxes. As such it doesn't have an investment return, because there is no investment. You should judge it economically by its administrative cost and quality. On those measures, it does very well. Ok, you may ask about its fiscal future. It was doing pretty well, until the current administration decided to take the surplus payroll taxes collected from salaries and wages of working people and distribute them to the wealthy in the form of income tax cuts.