>>>>It is a missconception that here in the netherlands the government is the boss of the healthcare. Its the regulator, nothing more and nothing less. The insurance companies are still commercial as is the rest of the healthcare. The government only forced everyone to insure themselves.
>>
>>I didn't address this before as, frankly, I know very little about the Dutch system. From what I've recently read it appears to be similar to a recently adopted plan here in Massachusetts. If I'm reading correctly, the system went through numerous changes since the 1980s when price controls and central planning were the norm. Starting in the 90s through as recently as 2006 several reforms have completely turned the system away from central planning and towards the free market. The main aspect of governmental influence now is that all citizens are required to purchase private insurance. In addition the providers and insurers are incentivized to provide high quality and low price by the citizens ability to change providers once per year.
>>
>>While I object to the idea of people being forced to have insurance in a free country, this would be a far greater alternative to what's currently being proposed here.
>
>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/17/opinion/17krugman.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=paul%20krugman&st=cse

Krugman is either willingly miscaracterizing or is disturbingly naive regarding what's contained in the bills currently being debated.

Perhaps Peter or Walter can help me out here. Does the Dutch system subsidize the insurance purchase and if so how much and is there an income or some other limit?

Update :
At this point, all that stands in the way of universal health care in America are the greed of the medical-industrial complex, the lies of the right-wing propaganda machine, and the gullibility of voters who believe those lies.

I might remind Paul that the Democrats have complete legislative and executive control. All that stands in the way of universal health care is the Democratic party.

2nd Update :
In addition, it's not like the "medical-industrial complex" has a monopoly on greed.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090819/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_health_care_consultants