Single-payer health would cover all, save up to $1G/yr in Massachusetts

[Margaret]

According to 2 recent independent studies commissioned
by the Mass. Medical Society, and leaked to the Boston
Globe.  The groups were the Lewin Group, and a group
combining researchers from Solutions for Progress of
Phila.  and the Boston U. Sch. of PH.

The savings would range from $170M to $1G.

'It's not working, and [the opponents of single-payer]
are going to have to re-think their position'
-- Arnold S. Relman, MD, emeritus ed-in-chief of the
NEJM & member of the Society's House of Delegates

A single-payer scheme would save admin costs in the
range $2.5G -  $3.6G in Mass. in '99 alone, 

"The [current system] has been the preferred policy"
-- Frank Fortin, Dir. Comm. for MMS

"The AMA is currently opposed to a single-payer system"
-- Nancy Dickey, MD, President of the AMA

Mass. Assn of HMOs did not return the Globe's
comment-seeking phonecall.