Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
I really appreciated the information regarding monopolies and monopsonies in the article “Single Payer, by Default” [February/March 2006 San Diego Physician]. I believe you [Don McCanne, MD, author] are right-on in this regard. I would invite you to consider, however, the fact that most member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have multi-payor universal healthcare systems.
Over 30 percent of people have private healthcare coverage in over a third of OECD member nations. A smaller proportion have private coverage in several more countries. The countries that do not have healthy private health insurance industries have limited infrastructure and “soft rationing” (queues for elective procedures) as a result.
[…]
I am a strong advocate for universal healthcare. I also believe that market systems have already proven themselves more responsive to patient needs and, under appropriate regulatory environments, already achieve the same cost reductions.
As evidenced by the following;
I would certainly appreciate the opportunity to share more information regarding multi-payor universal healthcare systems. I have a book nearing its publication date titled Chronic Crisis that further discusses the application of multi-payor universal enrollment principles in the United States.
Selvoy M. Fillerup, MD, MSPH, FACS
Highlands Ranch, Colo.