my response on another forum:
Phil, I agree with your point that "involvement of private insurance companies doesn't add ANYTHING to our health care financing system." Here's my 2cents about insurance. Insurance works fine only if a small percentage of participants actually need to use it, like for automobile accidents and home disasters. It doesn't work for health care because everyone needs health care, at least the basics. It seems that nations that have universal health care and universal education, have realized that insurance cannot work for something that everyone needs and that they need to set aside the appropriate funds for this which everyone has to contribute in a universal way. I think, it's called common sense and compassionate sharing and caring for each other. Another point being missed is that neither insurance nor medical care is the primary cause of good health. I mentioned PREVENTION as an essential element of any successful health care system both for finances and for good health. Q came up how prevention standards would be regulated. My reply: Prevention has to be an educational type of thing, not mandatory standards. Although many( like Dr Fuhrman, Dr Ornish, the China Study, others ) are contributing to this education, it doesn't seem enough yet. However, there is the disputed "hundredth monkey effect" which offers hope if you want to believe in it. "The hundredth-monkey effect is a supposed phenomenon in which a learned behavior spreads instantaneously from one group of monkeys to all related monkeys once a critical number is reachedÂ…" from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundredth-monkey_effect <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundredth-monkey_effect> So, if enough of us plug away and gently persuade some of our friends, maybe the threshold will be reached soon. Some believe "the hundredth-monkey effect" is similar to a threshold, like reaching the boiling point of water, during which a distinct phase transition occurs. One way this could happen is: some billionaire like Oprah opens a nationwide chain of GREEN Restaurants featuring Dr Fuhrman's "Eat To Live" diet or something in that direction. I also believe that enough of us praying for the health of everyone on planet earth will help. Thanks for listening, Anatol
