Clinton

[paula]

>Above assumes Clinton's aim was so-called universal coverage rather than
> promoting big capital interests in insurance industry.  Clinton's 'managed
>competition' proposal would have mandated large purchasing pools in which
>only a few large companies would have been able to offer 'health care'
>packages because of amounts of capital involved.  AETNA, Prudential,
>Blue Cross & Blue Shield, a couple of others would have gained control of
>50% of the 'health care market' still held by smaller insurance firms.
>Clinton would have completed corporate for-profit 'socialized' medicine in 
>US.

I've always thought of it as Clinton and the nyts legitimizing "managed
care" while purposely making the "universal" part sound so bad that no one
would support it. 'Cept the single-payer people who wanted a "voice at the
table". And was that a joke.

You are absolutely right though, an emphasis on the Hawaii model, rather
than single-payer, using some of your other phrasing, would have been a
better focus.  Here in Atlanta though, it was almost impossible to get
coverage except for the Caravan to Arkansas.  We should have been more
creative I guess.

p.