I'm well aware that's the reality for many. My awareness of that is the reason I commented on the fact that the US already has one very well-developed and well-established medical system that works much like socialized medicine: The military medical system.
We don't need to look to other countries at all to try to figure out how that's done. It's done right here on American soil every single day for military members, military retirees and their dependents.
All we need to do is figure out how to expand on that existing system. And perhaps one first step would be to change the rules such that anyone who serves in the military gets medical benefits for life, even if they don't stay long enough to retire and get all those other benefits.
It's never sat well with me that it is possible to be a veteran and have no benefits at all. Giving all veterans medical benefits would begin expanding coverage in the US under a system where billing is the exception, not the rule.
I hate the civilian US medical care system and it's fucked up coverage. I've been a military dependent basically my entire life. My experience of medical care is vastly different from that of most Americans and it's a crying shame we don't do more for our citizens in that regard.
