"Two Girls Two Countries One Cancer"

David Whelan has an interesting article at Forbes.com following two girls through the same serious cancer diagnosis here and in Britain.As David put it, "When stories get specific, as in the cases of Zoe and Ellen, two kids from similar backgrounds with the same disease, the generalities [about the differences in our health care systems] start to break down."

The "Frontline" Report on International Health Care, "Sick Around the World," is Worth an Hour of Your Time

Last night the PBS program, "Frontline" gave us an hour long tour of the health care systems in Great Britain, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, and Switzerland and asked what can we Americans learn from them.When I heard about the program, I was dubious that an hour long report covering five different systems could possibly be helpful. But this hour long tour de force accomplished a great deal and I came

Aetna to Provide Managed Care Services to the British National Health Service--Say What?

Aetna has been approved by the British National Health Service (NHS) as one of the suppliers who can provide local Primary Care Trust (PCT) managers "a wide range of support, ranging from specific tasks such as designing medical management programs, also known as demand management, to comprehensive contracting and procurement of services."Where's Michael Moore? He needs to do an addendum to "

The Best 39 Minutes You Can Spend Understanding the Various National Health Systems

NPR's "Fresh Air" broadcast a 39-minute interview with Jonathan Oberlander, a political scientist with expertise in health care politics and policy and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Studying other systems is important as we in America look to reform our health care system. Unfortunately, we hear many things out of context and some outright myths.Listening to Professor Oberlander

"Sicko" Revenue Wanes at the Box Office--Why Didn't "Sicko" Resonate?

The Michael Moore movie about the U.S. health care system's problems, "Sicko," had incredible press before its debut. Moore appeared on the likes of Larry King, Leno, and Letterman, and about everywhere else in the days before its premier to hype his newest critical documentary.Last week when the movie grossed only $4.5 million (putting it in 9th place) supporters pointed out that it only opened

"Mid-Atlantic Convergence"--The European Government-Run Health Care Systems Are Coming Our Way!

One of the themes I have often heard in international meetings on the topic of health insurance is the term, "Mid-Atlantic Convergence."That is, our system may be gravitating to look more like those in Europe and theirs maybe moving more toward ours.One of the people I often see at these meetings is Bill Boyles, publisher of Health Market Survey and Consumer-Driven Care.Today, I have asked Bill

The Cost to Administer Medicare Versus the Cost to Administer Private Health Plans--The Difference Isn't Anything Close to 25%

Those that favor a single-payer government-run health care system have been reenergized by the Michael Moore movie, "Sicko."One of their contentions I keep hearing is that we could save 25% by getting rid of private health insurance plans and creating one big government-run plan. They point to Medicare's expense factor of 2.9% as evidence.The private health insurance plans have much higher

A Canadian-Style Health Care System--How Would We Get From Here to There?

The movie "Sicko" inevitably gets us talking about making over America's health care system into one that would resemble the single-payer government-run systems like those in Canada, Britain, France--or now even Cuba!I find the proposal a simplistic one.Having spent so much time in Europe and Canada working with health care policymakers and major stakeholders there, let me first tell you I have a

A Review of the Movie "Sicko"--Michael Moore Blew It!

Michael Moore's new movie, "Sicko," was supposed to be this great argument for a "single payer" government-run health care system.It turned out to be exactly the opposite because Moore overplayed his hand and did his argument more damage than good.The first half of the movie would have had anyone mad at the system--and for good reasons. It's real easy to find lots of examples of market stupidity

"Sicko"--Hate it All You Like But Don't Ignore It! The Best Response is to Satisfy the Customer!

Michael Moore's harsh critique, make that condemnation, of the health insurance industry is going to be hard to watch for those who have spent their careers in the business.The worst thing we can do is to rationalize it away as just another "single payer's" prescription for socialized health care.Thirty years ago, I was taught by the insurance company I worked for that the way to be profitable