Yeah... emm, just a parethesis, on this, Glenn.

Watch you don't romanticize that socialist/socialized thing too much... not interested in the political here, but just the practical side. It's just not all it's cracked up to be. Oh sure, perhaps some countries implement it well, but you could then argue that the US system could be implemented better without changing the basic constructs.

I live in a country with socialized health care. We have a lot of the same "bottom line" issues present in the US because the State basically puts up the same stops that insurance companies do in the US. The State gets our taxes and puts what it decides should go into health care... and don't you dare spend a cent more than "it" thinks you should. Second opinion? Ok, but must wait a year before the state willl pay for a third, no concept of "override" for brand meds where generics fail, no option for sedation for diagnostic procedures... bla bla bla. A lot of times, thosee who can end up seeing doctors privately (out of pocket).

As to the issues Hopeless presents, I see the same things in doctors here as well. It doesn't all seem to be money-driven, although, according to one doctor I know here, many of the doctors in the system are underpaid. But some just seem terribly bored. I've seen filing clerks with more enthusiasm than many doctors. Others seem to be on serious power trips and I mean seerrrrious, kiss-my-feet-thou-lowly-serf type trips.

waves