From: Gene McAloon 

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 19:46:01 +1200, dmhills{at}attglobal.net (Don Hills) wrote:

>In article ,
>"Tony Ingenoso"  wrote:
>>This is a farcically simplistic analysis that completely ignores the fact
that US and Canadian demographic and racial makeup are
>>radically different.  Compare similar groups in each country and then you'd
be saying something about the HC system as a variable
>>that might have causality.
>>
>>Apples rarely look like Oranges.
>
>Gene? Is that you?

Not sure what that question means.  There is no doubt the Canadian system
is infinitely superior to the American "system" and the analysis
of the two an excellent description of why that is so.  Not that there is
anything new in the analysis, which is only one of many done over the
years.

Tony would claim that those without insurance are still not denied health
care in this country and that is true since care can be got at the
emergency room of the local hospital. Unfortunately, given the ever
increasing numbers of people without insurance and using those emergency
rooms, someone has to pay for that care. It is ever more of a burden on the
hospital's bottom line and that is passed on to the public in higher
premiums for those with insurance. That is particularly true for the
hospital's claims on Medicare and Medicaid. Private insurance companies
will vigorously dispute the increasing costs of care, but Medicare and
Medicaid are not so scrupulous.

In its infinite stupidity, Congress will not let Medicare bargain for lower
charges because that would interfere with the free market, but instead when
charges to Medicare rise too  high Congress simply puts a cap on what
Medicare can pay out for certain types of care. Unfortunately, that results
in increasing
numbers of doctors simply refusing to take people on Medicare. It is the
case now that those on Medicare must shop around to find a doctor willing
to take them.  Truly a marvelous system.

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