We all saw sicko, but many of us also saw Frontline’s Sick Around the World program : http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/
Certainly Single payer can work and might be the best system possible, but I don’t think the Bismarkian systems of Germany, Switzerland and others can be dismissed out of hand. If you go to the frontline website and watch the show, be sure to read the supplementary materials, especially he interview with Uwe Reinhardt. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/interviews/reinhardt.html
I had not given Bismarkian systems much thought until I heard a representative from the Stark Raving Loonie Party (Sorry, that’s Python – I meant the Fraser Institute of Canada) actually confess that he could see working with reform along the Bismarkian lines:http://cmhmd.blogspot.com/2008/03/single-payer-debate-at-duquesne-u-31008.html
Further, Sen. Ron Wyden and others have introduced a plan along these lines, so HR 676 isn’t the only ball in play at the moment.
Wyden Press release: http://wyden.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=297073&
Other commentary: http://www.blueoregon.com/2006/12/progressives_re.html
So I guess I’d say not to discount the Wyden plan out of hand as not being “pure” single payer. because we have examples of this system working as well as single payer can.
Cheers,
Did you see the Bunk study stating 2/3 of doctors in America want National Health Care. The doctors who did this study also conducted one in 2002 and found that the majority of doctors did not want national health care, the problem with this is that the 2 question surveys drastically differ in there 2nd question. I found this article, 60% of Physicians Surveyed Oppose Switching to a National Health Care Plan, It’s worth a read.
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