universal healthcare

[Roland]

Well, I linked to an article giving the results of polling. It looks like, as of Sept. 2009, that it still commanded a large majority of support - 59% support, 28% oppose. If that were an election, it'd be a landslide. Support has been eroding, but it certainly hasn't shifted to net negative, or even 50-50.
Unlike the weather, people don't randomly talk about how nice their health care is. You hear the problems much louder than the benefits, and everyone likes to kvetch. Which is not to say that, simply because it is still popular, Massachusetts health care is a great way to go. I don't think we know enough to really judge yet, but I certainly hope the Federal version deals with some of the problems you've outlined.

As I said, it sure ain't the bill I would have passed, if the US Senate gave a hoot what I think.

-Jester

All very true points. I don't care much for polls, but I do have to give merit to the numbers (to a certain extent). However, my experiences have been more from those on the actual care provider's side, being that at my place of business we service more than a few doctors. I haven't heard too many complaints from people who actually have MassHealth, to be sure. I have, however, heard about its problems from those who have to deal more directly with it than the consumers. I've also seen first-hand some of the ripples it is causing, but I can't lay blame on the actual health care so much as the short-sighted people who enacted it.

At any rate, I'm truly not well-versed enough on the subject to comment further than I have at present, but I appreciate the dialogue all the same. It will be interesting to see what unfolds, both locally and nationally.