[Buckeye McFrog]

Let us all resolve to eschew the term ‘single payer.’
What statists mean is SINGLE PROVIDER

Not quite true. In Canada, doctors and clinics are still individual enterprises. But the only way they can get paid is through the "single payer" health plan in that Province. A very small shade of difference, I grant you. Not much benefit in being an independent enterprise if you can be blackmailed by those who control your sole source of income.

[goldstategop]

Canada Medicare has its drawbacks. But it works. Health care remains privately delivered but the entire cost of paying for health care is defrayed through high taxes. Every one pays into the system - eliminating the free rider problem.

Of course Americans would not stomach the kind of taxation levels necessary to make it work. That is why single payer has never made much headway here. Even in liberal Vermont, its a hard sell.