Oops. I take back what I said about a turnaround. I love Steffie Woolhandler and her Physicians for a National Health Plan (www.pnhp.org). But my comment about "turnaround" was premised on the idea that it was someone other than her who was finally making this case. I must have looked away and skipped over the paragraph that had her name. This is another version of the same (excellent) report she published a year ago. More power to her. She keeps getting this report in the most respected journals based on the respect she garners as a researcher -- but without it thereby ceasing thereby to be a minority view among medical professionals. Here's hoping she persuades a few more each time.
BTW, if anyone hasn't listened to it yet, Doug has a great interview with her on July 11, 2002 at http://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/Radio.html Just search down for "physician" and you'll come right to it. Actually all 3 interviews on that show are great. It includes Charles Komanoff on the economics of transport (which he makes a lot more interesting than it might sound at first) and our own Michael Perelman showing what happens when you cross SJ Perelman with an economist.
And while I'm here: thanks once again to Jordan, without whom these radio archives would never have existed. It's so great to able to tell someone about a great show Doug did a year ago and have them be able to go and hear it.
Michael