I can't resist a few comments (I tried, I really did, but I can't resist):
1. Every western democracy from Norway to New Zealand has universal health care for its citizens except for the wealthiest nation on earth.
2. Putting profit-driven companies in charge of health care sounds like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank. You need more than market forces to keep greed in check, if you don't believe me, go apply for a loan at Lehman Brothers.
3. I've lived in two countries with universal health-care and it works great (not faultless by any strech, but it works).
4. Australia has both a public and private system and the two can and do co-exist in peaceful harmony, i.e., there is a safety net for the masses and those who want breast implants and ankle reconstructions on demand can have it. My two daughters were born in private hospitals, but I've also made use of the public system for the most part.
5. To oppose access to affordable health care strikes me as a violation of the golden rule.
6. I can understand the desire not to put government in charge of everything, to encourage a free market economy, to create profit-motive, to foster upward economic mobility, and avoid becoming a welfare state - I'm on board - but you can still have all that with more government involvement in health care.
7. Does anyone know of any theological reflections on health care?
