Love you, Jeanna! You have so much going on in your own life and you still have compassion to spare!

In ways, we in the US are already paying for socialized medicine. We have been doing so for years. People who need treatment can't be refused regardless of residency or immigrant status, insurance or lack of it, or even ability to pay. The medical care industry makes up the costs by overcharging insured patients and government programs. Medicare fraud is rampant on the provider level. Billed services, even those that are valid, are exhorbitantly priced.

Insurance is costing us more and covers us less. There are now deductibles with a covered percentage in addition to co-payments. It used to be one or the other. Sometimes providers write off the balance not covered by insurance. Sometimes they don't.

I don't want to delve into politics and immigration policy. But, the US has mismanaged things to the point where providing public services is unsustainable. Being a teacher in California and working in youth corrections, I see a big need for change. It is getting to the point where the benefits are dwarfed by the costs--both financial and social. It would help if all countries would take care of their citizens so they wouldn't be forced to seek a better life elsewhere. Sorry...I'll hop off my soapbox now...