re: #131 Mattand

like you I like the canadian system, from first hand experience. i remember when it came in the late 1960’s and from practicing here in the 90’s and now again. if you lose your job you dont lose your insurance. if you get a job you dont lose medicaid. if you get married, divorced, turn a certain age, move accross the country or come down with a permanent problem you dont lose your insurance. i have one insurance agency to deal with that pays me just about what they have agreed to pay me. they dont lose my bills, or retroactively declare someone or some proceedure not covered. there are problems but every system has problems. there are horror stories but every system has its horror stories, proving only that human systems are imperfect - what a shocker.

as for the mandate, it is a gutless response to republican obstructionism, actually proposed by the Heritage foundation in reponse to Hillary-care. Australia has a mandate system that seems to work. Israel and Germany have systems relying on non-government insurance but that covers everyone.

The best part of Obamacare is that it is so flawed in underachieving the goals of covering everyone and cost containment that it will have to be fixed, which at least sets the stage for the next step, rather than being stuck with the abomnible status que