as we delve further into the mass media spectacle one thing has become clear as everything else has become very muddy: the truth isn't what the facts support, it's what you hear three times from people you consider your peers. the fact is that the data that show increased wait times are for elective surgery (https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/health-insurance/feature...) which (by nature of being elective) doesn't correspond to increased mortality or cost, but the wait times on emergency care are comparable for single payer and individual payer systems are comparable, with the US doing slightly better in waits for people who actually receive care but, again, no indication of how many people avoid care due to the cost.