Originally Posted by
MEMpilot
The diction I used might have been too generalized. Japan does in fact use the private industry to provide health-care, but its regulated by the government and provides many free services to patients, thus making it have many facets of a free health-care system. Yes, there are some medical procedures one has to pay for in Japan, but prices are set by means of a government and not the free-market. Irresponsible, no. Your reaction melodramatic? Yes.
Nice attempt to recover from your previous "generalized" assertion with a liberal dose of back-peddling and double-speak.
After your clarification, I guess health care in Japan is just
nearly free
thanks to (of course) the government. And, since you went to the trouble of citing them as a model of a superior system, healthcare there must be a comparative bed of roses. Again, I'll be charitible and label your comments as ignorant.
I speak with considerable personal knowledge of Japanese medical care for myself and both my immediate and extended family members. The quality of Japanese medical care is generally very good, but it does vary. The direct point-of-service fees paid are generally lower than the U.S. and if that is all you looked at one would likely come to the naive conclusion you apparently have. There are of course other costs, namely national health insurance premiums and other taxes. There are also indirect and opportunity costs that are borne by the consumer including longer waits for services, reduced accessibility to certain tests and treatments, lack of privacy and a reduced level of accountability toward the patient. Healthcare in Japan is far from being "free" or "nearly" free regardless of whatever kool-aid you've be drinking.
As much as I'm fond of Japan, having extensive experience with both systems, I'll take the U.S. over them every day and twice on Sundays. I agree healthcare insurance and the delivery of healthcare need reform. Socializing the healthcare system or having the federal government run it directly or indirectly (as current legislation on the table would) will not fix the problems.