Paul we are not living in 1948. You can't compare the knowledge and the treatments in the medical fields that we have today. As a cancer survivor you should know -- if you got cancer in 1948 you needed a lawyer to draft your will and to go pray for forgiveness -- you were a goner in most cases.
Still, Healthcare costs need to be controlled but if they are controlled can the US "medibiz" adjust to the new controlled prices? Can we eliminate the medibiz with a federal government administrated program like Medicare or Medicaid is now? Should the US government take over the medical treatment facilities (clinics and hospitals)? Truth is; private pay patients are overcharged in part to subsidize the low reimbursement prices paid by Medicare or Medicaid -- Medicaid ( public assistance medical payments ) in particular -- the rest is because medbiz can get away with it -- capitalism at its finest
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Donald Trump lists no official position on healthcare on his campaign's website so who knows what he really intends -- depends on which way the hot air is blowing that day. Hillary has, as usual, some 'fuzzy' position on universal healthcare and Bernie stands out having officially proposed, endorsed and embraced universal heathcare.
Americans don't like to pay for anything unless they can eat it, fuck it or drive it for the most part.
Raising taxes to pay for healthcare or education will face a lot of opposition from people who will have to pay the new taxes as always ...