By Steve Tarzynski, M.D.
Los Angeles Times, Letters, July 25, 2019
To the editor: David Blumenthal and Sara Collins rightly point out that many European systems provide coverage through a mixed public-private approach. These countries have uniform and generous benefits packages, and have largely or totally disentangled coverage from employment.
Still, evidence shows that the less private insurance and employers are involved, the more cost-effective and equitable the system. The greater the role for private insurance, the higher the administrative costs and complexity.
We Americans must ask ourselves two questions with respect to our healthcare system: How much wasteful complexity and bureaucracy do we want? And much inequality do we want?
The authors are correct that “Medicare for all” isn’t the only way to cover everybody. It’s just the most efficient and the fairest way.
Dr. Steve Tarzynski is president of the California Physicians Alliance.