So eventually who pays for this? With gas floating around the $4.00/gal. mark the last thing people need is an additional tax. This is a grand idea for those with fat bank accounts but unfortunately that doesn't describe the majority of U.S. citizens.

Universal health care is a broad concept that has been implemented in several ways. The common denominator for all such programs is some form of government action aimed at extending access to health care as widely as possible. Most countries implement universal health care through legislation, regulation and taxation. Legislation and regulation direct what care must be provided, to whom, and on what basis. Usually some costs are borne by the patient but are subsidized by taxation and compensated to the patient by the government. Many programs utilize some form of compulsory insurance to accomplish this goal. Other programs are paid for entirely out of tax revenues and provide automatic coverage for every citizen or resident
Universal health care - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My next issue with this is this: Why would we have somebody from a failed company, in this case the U.S. government, step in to fix another failed company, the health care industy? Washington is known for red tape, confusion, lack of results. MANY a time does a person that files for disability benifits have to get a lawyer.

Next, the hospital system is broke down internally. Hospital beds that "should" cost under $5,000 sell for $8,000 - $24,000. Surgical tables that "should" sell for $20,000 go for $75,000. Hell, a receptionist chair that sells at Grainger for under $100 goes for $450 because it's considered "Hospital Grade".

Hospitals "claim" to be non-profit.....what a joke! At the end of the fiscal year if they have an additional $5,000,000 in the kitty that just means that they have to friviously waste the money on overpriced chairs, desks, carpeting, window shades, etc...

FIRST off, the entire hospital system should undergo an investigation into waste and price gouging by their vendors. The savings in that alone to the basic consumer would be tremendous! Next in line would be the insurance industry...I'm sure there is waste in that system along with unfair practices. But to have one broken system try to fix another by stepping in on mandates, etc....I just can't see it myself.

Back to the thread topic.....with his link to the Chicago Health care industy he should be well aware of these issues. Seems that some things just can't "change".

Have a good one!:s4: