Are you in favor of universal healthcare for all Americans? If you're Canadian, do you think your system really works? Would you encourage Americans to buy into the notion that universal coverage is something to strive for?

I am not convinced national healthcare is the answer. I'll admit I'm a hippy from the 60's and not liking the idea, government dictating my healthcare, along with everything else. I have friends in Canada who think their system is far less than stellar we Americans think it is. Horror stories over the long wait(sometimes more than a year) for crucial tests, then the wait for proper treatment. The USA is far more populated than Canada and many other countries throughout the world who have universal healthcare.
I'm also not convinced with the political agendas it would be carried out in a timely fashion, as the government tends to tie everything up in red tape. Can we wait 15 or 20 years for a system to be implemented? Can we be assured it will be a system responsible for good health care? There are just to many variables and no one can agree on any specific goal.

Very true, very true. But what do we do with the uninsured, for instance? And how do we reign in costs? I have no answers, myself, only more and more questions.

This will never happen, because we are a country built on capitalism, but I'm going to say it anyway. Revamp the entire government, get rid of lobbyists so insurance companies, instead of making huge profits, provide quality coverage, with affordable premiums, perhaps based on a sliding scale of what individuals can reasonably pay. Medical companies are also making huge profits, and then the hospital turns around and charges $10 for an item that costs less than a dollar to make. It's a vicious cycle, all based on everyone making profits but also making our cost of living escalate. Make it profitable for companies to remain in the US, providing jobs for those who live in the US,instead of strengthening economies of other countries. Stop providing so much aid to other countries and take care of the US. I apologize if this is disjointed, but I'm simply typing as ideas come into my mind.

As usual, you hit all of the salient points, my friend. Is profit, then, the root of all healthcare evil?

Disjointed? Not at all! Thoughtful? I don't think you could be anything but thoughtful!

Part of this too, is money is power. Insurance companies, medical companies all have the power to shape direction of healthcare. CEO's who make huge salaries along with some who also have stock options. They have power too. Physicians have power and money, although medicine is not nearly as profitable as it was 30 years ago. Mostly because of the formation of HMO's, but also some physicians ruined things for many because of greed. Then of course, we have the government and lobbyists, who also have money and power behind them.

We need a national nurse coalition, apprised not only of those with higher degrees but those of us who have ADN's. We are the largest workforce in healthcare, yet we have no power. If every single nurse, joined NNOC, stood together,for the betterment of our own group,we would have the power to make changes, be an integral part of healthcare direction and improvement for everyone.