No doubt, Amos, no doubt.

Guest - Yes, I see your point. However, I don't think it's the same as auto insurance in that respect. Your bad driving presents a direct threat to the lives and property of other people...that's why auto insurance is compulsory. Your bad health does not present a direct threat to the lives and property of other people.

I've never heard of a Canadian citizen who wanted to opt of of health insurance coverage, because it is a civil right here which is given to everyone...in the same fashion that having a police force, a fire department, and other vital services like that is given to everyone.

Would you like it if the police were privately employed by a bunch of corporations and would only come to your assistance in an emergency if you had already purchased an expensive yearly protection policy from them??? No, you wouldn't like that one bit, and you'd be right not to like it, because it would be tyrrany. It would be like having the Mafia running the police force.

A police force is supported through taxes and is there to help everyone, without prejudice, any time help is required. They don't make you pay them first...everyone has already shared the cost through their taxes.

That is what we have in Canada for health care, and that is what most other developed countries have. Health care isn't an optional luxury, it's an absolute requirement for everyone in a society, and it should be prepaid for EVERYONE by taxes.

If you do that, each individual person can afford the overall cost of health care, because only a few people are in need of it at any one time....same as only a few people need the police or the fire department at any one time.

Health care, like police and fire departments, should be a civil RIGHT that is provided to the entire society in a totally equal manner through taxation. That's the only sane way to do it. Period.

And getting back to auto insurance...I do, in fact, think that auto insurance should be handled that way too. It isn't, but I believe it should be. If it was, I suspect it would be a lot less expensive.