Sick Around the World, the book, a reminder of what Washington wants to forget

[sisters6]

I saw this PBS special--last fall I think. I was impressed---esp. with the segment on Taiwan.


http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=13946


Sick Around the World, the book, a reminder of what Washington wants to forget (+)
by: National Nurses Movement
Sat Jun 27, 2009 at 17:00


(Who knew? American exceptionalism has very dark side when it comes to healthcare. - promoted by Paul Rosenberg)

As our favorite politicos fall all over each other to see who can further erode the healthcare package likely to emerge from Congress, it's worth recalling that there is another way.But first, get a glimpse of the latest fiasco moving forward in the Senate Finance Committee, where Max Baucus is leading the charge to develop the all important "bi-partisan" reform bill.

Today's news is that "everyone's smiling" -- says Kent Conrad, author of the embarrassingly weak proposal for "non-profit coops" as an alternative to the public option, much less the real reform, single payer.

Why? Because they've found a way to cut the price tag by $400 billion. How?

largely by reducing the amount of subsidies for low-income individuals to buy insurance

Well, thank goodness. At least that means less public money going into the pockets of the already gorged insurance giants.

Too bad it means more people are likely to go bankrupt or self-ration needed care when Congress passes a bill forcing everyone to buy insurance with no meaningful limits on what the private insurers can charge.

Is there another route? Yes, and it's not a secret.

The rest of the world has figured it out, as T.R. Reid reminds us in the forthcoming publication of The Healing of America. A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care. (Penguin Press) Essentially it's the print version of the acclaimed Sick Around the World PBS show from last year.
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[msongs]

1. In those nations must be illegal to buy politicians and presidents/heads of state nt