(V): "What Art is missing is that the USA have the ability to look at various systems and (if politicians use their brains and not their parties) sort out the basis for a system that will be cheaper to run. Despite Art's saying "it'll cost too much".. your current system already does, as their is an element of companies taking the mickey over what you pay in private health insurance."

No, I agree that the cost is too high. And I agree that there is much honest politicians can do to fix the problem. But Obama's plan is too costly. It won't work. We can't sustain the high cost. There are so many bad factors playing into his plan that it boggles the mind.

Tort reform is a place to start IMO. Get the costs to the doctors and hospitals down. But Obama would rather not touch that one. He's willing to allow unrestricted access to the courts even though it's clear that frivolous lawsuits clog up the courts. There ought to be a cap on how much one can sue for and if one loses their lawsuit, they ought to pay the expenses - all of them. Perhaps the lawyers who lose the case for their clients should have to pay all the costs. Greedy lawyers suing for hangnails.