Listen Up

Monday, September 7, 2009

Labor Day

Here it is the last of the four day weekend for me.  Seems it was just Friday with three days off.

I had a chance to do much reading and study all the different propositions for health care reform.

Analysts all agree that the United States has the best quality of science, and technology available to those who can pay for it. Our system of health care payments is failing (or has failed), much like the 'bubble' in real estate, financial markets, and internet technology.

So why should we be any different?

T.R. Reid offers a dispassionate appraisal of health systems throughout the developed world.  Reid is a strong proponent of unified health care delivery. He states that the best programs, such as those in Switzerland, France, Germany and Taiwan (yes Virginia, Taiwan). are actually private models, unified by universal access, universal payment standards, and governmental subsidy for those that are uninsured, or uninsurable. They are not employer based.

He espouses the opinion these systems are not 'socialized medicine systems.

His 2008 Frontline documentary, "Sick Around the World", looked at the comprehensive health care systems of five developed economies from around the world. The first two countries visited were the U.K. and Japan, where he had previously worked and also received medical care.[4] They were followed by Germany, Taiwan, and Switzerland.[5]  

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