It is my opinion, supported by much evidence presented by the organization Physicians for a National Health Program, among others, that we cannot have all of the following: universal and meaningful coverage [meaningful meaning that all of people’s legitimate medical needs are covered], cost control, and privately owned health insurance companies. The corporate mandate to maximize profits and dividends to shareholders, and the attendant expenses of marketing and executive compensation place massive costs, unrelated to healthcare, upon the system. This is the real “fat in the system.” Physicians for a National Health Program’s website is http://www.pnhp.org. I would particularly recommend reading an article on the site comparing healthcare costs in our country vs. Canada: Woolhandler S, Campbell T, Himmelstein DU (August 2003). “Costs of health care administration in the United States and Canada”. N. Engl. J.. Med. 349 (8): 768–75.