Originally Posted By: Peter B.
If you were to ask James Madison, Thomas Jefferson or John Adams, what would they say.

They'd say who needs help paying for a few leeches, or a barber to bleed you? Jefferson owned slaves, of course, and strongly opposed establishment of a standing army. It's hard to debate with someone whose social development stopped in the 18th century.

Originally Posted By: Peter B.
..the federal government already uses its bargaining power to set medicare rates and costs are still high.

But not as high as privately funded health care. However, Big Pharma lobbyist$ got the new Medicare Part D to ban the gov't from bargaining with Rx drug companies - which is one reason why Americans are paying much more for American-made Rx drugs than anyone else in the world.

Originally Posted By: Peter B.
As to the cost of malpractise the lawsuits and insurance premiums only scratch the surface of the effect. Since doctors know they are subject to be sued on a whim they will commonly order batteries of tests, ct scans and mri's even when unnecesary as an additional form of self protection.

And the Democrats, who are heavily funded by the trial lawyers, resist any attempts at tort reform which would limit the size of malpractice awards. 'Populist' Dem John Edwards funded his campaign with millions raked off as a trial lawyer in class action suits.

Originally Posted By: Peter B.
The numbers you showed above on infant mortality are so close that I don't believe health care quality is the difference.

Infant mortality is a commonly used indicator of health care quality. The US compares poorly with OECD nations that have universal health care. If the US, at 6.4 deaths/1000 births in 2005, had achieved the rates of Germany, Spain or France, more than 8,000 American infant deaths would have been avoided in that one year. That's a pretty significant difference!

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