Just think of the added boost to our current economic crisis if buisnesses no longer were paying for healthcare. If those costs were then divided between the buisnesses and thier employees, small raises and huge savings at the same time, it may give the economy a boost at the same time. Potential layoffs could be curtailed in struggling companies. Healthcare costs would obviously be astronomical for the Govt at first, but we're spending astronomical amounts anyway on uninsured patients and financial stimuli for the general economic situation. I'm not saying it's an even wash, but the up front cost and pain of the transition may not be as extreme as many would think.

and fire dept, police dpt, schools...

scooby, you are heartless. what if a broken leg or fall from a ladder cost you your home because your employer didn't offer insurance and you were living check to check and could not afford private insurance? If everyone could afford health care, your opinion may be a little more popular, but as things are, thank God you are in the extreme minority in this discussion. Beth's comment bellow is right on track, and you're blind if you can't see it. Talk to anyone who works in a hospital.

Um, I'd vote 20 times for this one if I could. We as a country will figure out (I hope) healthcare for our general populace, but can we at least start with Unconditional Universal Veterans Coverage? Now. no, NOW. It'd be a great start to a huge problem.

Your idea about posting prices, establishing standards, and creating a staff and facility rating system is excellent.Choosing to pay a little more out of pocket for a top rated doctor is a lot better than being blindsided by an insurance bill a month later after they've adjusted it. I'm not so sure I agree with them keeping prices in check, I think it started out that way, but has turned into nothing more than a tool to maximize profits.

Agreed. I recently paid for a checkup etc, as an insured person....$210 (supposed to be a $10 copay..haha). Cost for the same checkup a couple years ago with NO insurance...$160. This ABSOLUTELY needs to be fixed, especially if the government is going to mandate insurance coverage. Making sure everyone is covered...great idea, fattening the insurance company pockets with mandated and inflated costs...not so good maybe.

As mentioned above, Insurance for profit is a flawed system. I think it is important however to keep in mind the fact that pharmaceutical companies, and their research are one of the reasons we have such high quality health care. Those same companies having a lager say in policy is wrong, but to limit their innovation and growth may hurt us all in the long run. As for the insurance companies, along with the often mentioned PEC problems, i think the general strategy of paying as little as possible for ANY service hurts us. My partner and I pay for monthly coverage which is supposed to cover all but a "copay". As we are all familiar, this copay is not all we end up having to pay. While Ins companies may have their guidelines for the average value of services, limiting what is paid out for each of those items causes a frequent, and sometimes large gap in the coverage. It limits an insured from seeking out a better doctor, who may charge slightly more for a visit or procedure and it does not take into account the multitude of variables a doctor may be dealing with for each patient, including the resources spent on that patient. And for the record, I and my girlfriend both go to a local community health center, which should be priced on the low end of the spectrum. My last visit, a standard checkup, cholesterol test, and brief review of diet and exercise routines cost me $210 beyond my $10 copay, and I'm a healthy, active person in my 30's. The goal of insurance companies (BC/BS in my case) is to refuse and or reduce every single line item of payment possible. This is a huge waste of our money and doctor's office staff resources. Add to that the minions working away at the insurance companies on those line items adds more waste. I understand that some of these guidelines were created to prevent over billing by greedy doctors, but it seems to have turned into an excuse to squeeze the profit margin.