Ok I have not really kept up with what has been discussed so far but I just wanted to offer my opinion on the whole thing.
Bare in mind I am living in England and have had what I would call 'the luxury' of the National Health Service (NHS) my entire life. Despite all its misgivings it is a good thing.
This could only stand to benefit the US. Whatever the cost, in the long run it would be worth it, It will take substantial initial setup cost yes but then after that it will work itself out. The cost in tax that you pay will be far less that what you will pay for private medical insurance.
It's not good to have a situation for example like the one I witnessed in Germany. My colleuge had an epileptic fit and needed an ambulance and the paramedics would not take him because he did not have his medical insurance card.
Under a national health service this would not matter and the private hospital would be able to charge a national health hospital for services rendered so to speak.
I personally support President Obama in his pledge to reform health care and I sincerely hope it successfully integrates itself into US society. One day you will wonder what you would ever have done without it
