Lives at Risk: Single-Payer National Health Insurance Around the World
by By Goodman, John C., Musgrave, Gerald L., and Herrick, Devon M.
Category: Health & Fitness , Health Care Issues

The authors, who are policy researchers and economists, believe single-payer national health insurance is ineffective and dangerous. They assert that single-payer national health insurance depends on rationing by waiting, treats patients inequitably, denies the sick access to specialists and medical technology, favors the chronically ill over the acutely ill, and is expensive and unwieldy.  After investigating the politics of medicine, they examine whether a system of managed competition is the answer and  describe steps to take in designing an ideal health care system and health insurance. Published in cooperation with the National Center for Policy Analysis. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)