I think the key point I am trying to make is the need to prepare for a dramatic shift in talking points. Much of the language on health care has been about how great the US system works in relation to the rest of the world, especially those countries that have single payer systems. Watch for survey after survey to be tabled showing how unhappy Americans are with the US system. On the other hand, watch for the corresponding surveys indicating that people in other countries much prefer their systems to the US system.
My issue is more pragmatic. Every industrial competitor of the US embeds the cost of health care within the general revenues of the government. It is not placed on the marketplace. So, US industry operates at a tremendous disadvantage to its international competitors.
One reason for this is that many of those patients who need very serious treatment die before getting it...seriously. Check out the wait times and death rates while waiting for treatment, and you'll see how high they are...and realize that these are great systems, as long as you aren't too sick.
Talking point(s) I haven't heard much...
Increasing healthcare costs?
If a person wants 1970s care, it's available at a low cost. But today's care costs a lot more, because someone had to develop new techniques and equipment. People often insist on the latest care. If we go to socialized medicine, there's little incentive to get improved methods. "Do you want new advances in health care, or do you want universal stagnant care?"
Many people come to the US for care they can't receive back home. Once the US goes socialist, (a) where will we go for quality care, and (b) where will the rest of the world turn when we aren't there?