Redneck, I figure if they allow both types to exist, the government insurance will be priced very, very low to appear to be saving money. This will force private insurance to lower their rates and/or go out of business. But then the government will spend a fortune on care as they cannot control costs properly and are fraught with waste, fraud and abuse. After a decade or so, they will realize they are running massive
For example, Medicaid (medical care for the poor) is a $50 Billion program in New York State alone. Conservative estimates put the waste, fraud and abuse number at 10-15% ... $5 -$7.5 Billion dollars alone and we in the state are just now (after decades) just getting serious about going after the abusers.
Government care simply doesn't work well ... and especially not in a country as large and diverse as the United States.
Actually the government coverage, if it is as wasteful and incompetent as you say it is, will not replace private coverage. If the private sector can't compete against something that is cheaper but clearly inferior, then it has a problem.
Of course the government version will be cheaper. That's the point.
As for the expenses involved, you have to look at how the program is actually being run, not just the amount of money being spent. Also you have to establish as to what constitutes "abuse and misuse of funds." Government agencies, including the military, have to use all their funds before the fiscal year is up in order to be eligible for either the same amount of funds next fiscal year or an increase (if lucky). So if they decided to build a rooftop garden with those funds, would that also constitute as waste? Often the funding for that sort of stuff does come from the extra left over money but I feel that it does do a nice job of area beautification.
Let me rephrase what you said, "Government care doesn't work well, if it's poorly run as it is in the United States." The United States is large and diverse, but that's why each state has its own governing powers to a degree.
Some problems come about as a result of incompetence, others come about because the system is flawed and it encourages individuals to make some very bizzare decisions.
Although I am pro-military, I think it's time the US mothballed an aircraft carrier or two and SERIOUSLY invested in education and health care coverage. And instead of saying "our way is the best, the world has nothing to teach us" that seems to PLAGUE American thinking sometimes, the government needs to establish a task force that will go out into the world, study and experience first hand the medical services and bring back the lessons and apply them in the United States.
Do you know what brought about the downfall of the Chinese as a superpower many hundreds of years ago? It was their attitude that China was the best, and there was nothing to be learned by exploring the world of barbarians.
The two major obsticles so far in making this work:
The fact that no President really gives a damn what's going to happen after his first term, during his first term.
The fact that no one who's seen the world and understands it has been in Washington long enough to brown nose enough people to have a shot at being President.
TOG: That is EXACTLY what I am talking about.
That makes it easier for everyone to understand.