On 3/26/2010 12:59 PM, Larry Blanchard wrote:
On Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:45:50 -0400, J. Clarke wrote:

I'll see your Canada and raise you Japan:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_...ystem_in_Japan

Let me know what you think after (if?) you read it.

Let me know what you think when the elderly retirees outnumber the
workers. Japan's in trouble and they know it.


That scenario applies to a lot more than health care. And to a lot more
countries than Japan. What happens to all those seniors who are unable
to work and are not independently wealthy when a government stops paying
Social Security or it's equivalent?

Uh if you investigate you will find that Japan's population is now in
decline and has been for some time. I do not believe that any other
industrialized nation has reached that point.

IOW, the "graying population" is indeed a problem, but is independent of,
and more serious than, any health care program.

Not so. That graying population has the most need for medical
treatment, and the least means to pay for it.

So once again I ask, what's your opinion of Japan's health care plan?

That it's going to go bankrupt.

If Japan's doesn't appeal to you, try Germany:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Univers...h_care#Germany

That Germany is doing something is in and of itself a reason to be
suspicious of it. Germany, in case you haven't noticed, is not exactly
squeaky-clean on the matter of civil rights.

I did note the following from that article:

"Despite attempts to contain costs, overall health care expenditures rose
to 10.7% of GDP in 2005, comparable to other western European nations,
but substantially less than that spent in the U.S. (nearly 16% of GDP)."

Your point being?