Is there a way to provide healthcare to everyone

[Hawker]

There are long wait times for elective procedures and making appointments, months

I feel like "elective" is a shitty term for non emergency procedures.

I wouldn't really call the surgery I had "elective." If I didn't have private health insurance, it would've taken at least 6 months for an appointment and who knows how long (at least another 6 months) for surgery in the public system. That's unacceptable.

A large majority of cosmetic surgery is elective but fixing back issues or rectal problems or anything else shouldn't be called "elective." I feel like it's a cop out for the universal healthcare proponents and a purposefully chosen word.

[Stanley Kobrick]

I feel like "elective" is a shitty term for non emergency procedures.

I wouldn't really call the surgery I had "elective." If I didn't have private health insurance, it would've taken at least 6 months for an appointment and who knows how long (at least another 6 months) for surgery in the public system. That's unacceptable.

A large majority of cosmetic surgery is elective but fixing back issues or rectal problems or anything else shouldn't be called "elective." I feel like it's a cop out for the universal healthcare proponents and a purposefully chosen word.

I don't disagree with you Hawker. personally I am for universal healthcare but it's imperative with gauge both the pros and the cons. that said it's a fact that US healthcare while still having wait times is still leaps faster at patient treating than nations with Universal. and the worlds smartest minds travel here for medical careers specifically because the pay is far more handsome. how many world leaders have been treated at Cleveland Clinic for heart complications especially. again pros and cons

[Rolando]

There's a lot of generalizations going on here and repeating of the same old tired excuses. The truth is that not all public healthcare systems are the same. I've lived in Spain, Germany, Switzerland and the US. This is how I would rate the countries:
1. Switzerland: Many wealthy people from the States go there to have their surgeries.
2. Germany: They have the best combination of everything. A public system the works quite well. And, for those with a bit extra money, private insurance is available that gets you 1st Class service...although the base system is very good.
3. United States: Just make sure you work for a company that provides an insurance policy. Use the extra money you have as a result of the much lower taxes and build a little cushion to take care of co-pays.
4. Spain: Although publicly funded, I never felt confident in their service or system. My wife got pregnant there and we made sure to move to Germany so that she could have our child there. Their public healhcare system reflects the strength of their economy, which is not very strong.

The US could and should implement a system similar to Germany's. Healthcare would become a public service. Taxes would go up of course. But medical costs in general would be much lower. Everyone would be better off and much more secure.

[GimmeThat]

well, we made enough weapons for everyone.

[Overdrive]

But they don’t. Per capita USA has WAY more ICU beds compared to those countries. We also have way more supplies to support our patients. Our ventilator shortage is not nearly the problem of these so called utopia countries

Ventilator shortage isn't a problem either in most other the nothern and middle european countires. Spain and Italy are fringe first world countires when it comes to healthcare.

There are long wait times for elective procedures and making appointments, months

Yeah, but you can get an extra insurance for that. Nobody has to die, because they can't afford insulin or if they need immediate medical treatment. The basics are covered and if you wait "elective" surgery is for free. If you don't want to wait you can either pay for it or as said get an extra insurance.

I had to pay 16€ after my motorcycle accident that required surgery on my left knee. I've seen more expensive bills from the US for smaller treatments with an insurance in place.

[HunterSThompson]

While maintaining quality and innovation?

well ask yourself this. what great things has my native land Canada done since we gave everyone free health care.

I think the last thing we did of any significance was putting a robotic arm on a space shuttle back in 1981

liberal nations are a pathetic existence that need to be eradicated

[SATAN]

[Nanners]

In theory its definitely possible to provide healthcare to everyone, but its pretty unlikely to ever happen considering it would require massive reorganization of the healthcare system (as well as reforming things like anti-trust and patent laws), and because a lot of very wealthy/powerful interests would stand to lose a lot of their money and power from something like this and would basically fight to the death to prevent it from ever happening.