Reply #74: Universal Health Care doesn't necessarily mean free everything...

[mikelewis]

...at least it doesn't have to. There's no reason people can't afford to pay co-pays on visits and medicines. There's no reason that there can't be plans like the new Medicare plan that takes care of our seniors. No one was more skeptical of this new plan than I and yet so far the system doesn't sound like it's broken (that doesn't mean it isn't broken, I'm assuming no news is good news). If that plan works for seniors who are generally on a fixed budget and can least afford medical expenses, insuring the rest of America on a similar program isn't out of the question. There are monthly fees and co-pays and graduated programs. Naturally, if a person engages in activities that will cost the system then that person should expect to pay more. Smoking, alcoholism, use of illegal drugs... all these activities should require a higher monthly payment for specific levels of coverage.