« The Return of the Puppet Masters | Main | Good advice from the FT »
Assorted links
1. What are the lessons of military schools?
2. Fancy Fast Food.
3. 61 [sic] essential reads of postmodern literature.
4. The fate of Massachusetts health care reform. Ezra Klein offers a different perspective. Lots is at stake here.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on July 18, 2009 at 06:21 PM in Web/Tech | Permalink
Comments
The reforms being implemented in MA have been tried before by HMOs, and they were extremely unpopular with both doctors and patients.
Posted by: Yancey Ward at Jul 18, 2009 7:03:21 PM
fancy fast food link is pure genius
Posted by: babar at Jul 18, 2009 7:32:44 PM
Regarding Klein's piece, I don't get it. Is he even making an argument? It sounds like he's saying, "This has to work, because otherwise it will fail." I'm not being sarcastic. Those who are fans of these plans for government guarantees of universal coverage, please explain Klein's post.
Posted by: Bob Murphy at Jul 18, 2009 7:46:55 PM
"The reforms being implemented in MA have been tried before by HMOs, and they were extremely unpopular with both doctors and patients."
Old, wrong, but seemingly logical ideas never actually go away, they just get rebranded and show up again a 5-10 years later. This is one of the reasons that science (not technology) and public policy advances so slowly, we need the last generation of bigwigs to get old and die off before we start making new mistakes.
Posted by: Doc Merlin at Jul 18, 2009 8:01:51 PM
If the 40 I haven't read are as good as the 21 I have read, I'd bet that's a pretty good list. It at least inspires me to start on the copy of 2666 tonight.... the one I've been staring at for three months.
Posted by: jf at Jul 18, 2009 8:03:13 PM
Bob Murphy: Klein's post sort of assumes you've been reading his other work on health care.
Tyler: I think the post immediately before it:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/07/anger.html
is also very important, and a more-or-less direct critique of your approach to considering public policy.
Posted by: Sam Penrose at Jul 18, 2009 8:04:19 PM
Once again we see smart people only making observations that confirm their preexisting biases. Yglesias may praise the centralization of military schools, but what is the lesson he takes from the increased parental involvement? Try to change poor parents' behavior and you'll get labeled a paternalist at best, a racist at worst.
Posted by: athelas at Jul 18, 2009 8:08:51 PM
From the 61 essential reads list, I'd recommend Mark Danielewski's "House of Leaves" which is the best fictional book I've ever read. Be warned though, the book gives many people nightmares and has frequently been accused of eating souls.
Posted by: Stormy Dragon at Jul 19, 2009 12:06:01 AM
Bob Murphy:
"Regarding Klein's piece, I don't get it. It sounds like he's saying, "This has to work, because otherwise it will fail.""
Why so eager to tilt at straw men? All Ezra's post says is essentially:
The announcement signals there is political will to actually contain costs.
This is good for the long term prospects of universal health care in MA.
Now if you want to say it won't impact on costs, feel free to do so. If you want to find a substantial argument for it and counter that, feel free. One thing you shouldn't do is stuff words in Ezra Klein's mouth that are nothing like what he is saying.
Posted by: Steko at Jul 19, 2009 8:10:56 AM
The health care policy debate does have a lot at stake and Cowen points to two links that offer insights into the opposing arguments. Kling suggests the Mass. plan has failed because his view includes the possibility that free markets might offer a better solution. Klein sees progress because: "After all, the only choices before them were going forward on reform and going backward." Klein doesn't even acknowledge the free market let alone consider it a possible solution. He sees the government as "going forward" on reform, and it is.
Kling thinks the liberal point of view (like Kleins) is because they believe only "experts" have the answers and to think otherwise is scary. Klein doesn't reveal his views about the free market approach but clearly doesn't accept it as viable. Many of the liberals I have met believe a market with less regulation will lead to chaos and will threaten their lives. Some also believe clever conservatives will simply "game the market" at the expense of the liberals. there is some truth in these views.
Neither can be convinced of the others point of view and so the outcome will be determined by whoever has the biggest stick. This cannot end well. We need another decision process that doesn't involve politics. One that is as popular as politics but not as destructive.
Posted by: Brian at Jul 19, 2009 7:12:32 PM
"Klein, who makes a mean kung pao, will also be a regular contributor to The Post's Food section. He contributes to the group food blog the Internet Food Association."
This and a job as newspaper columunist provides what particular credential or expertise on "healthcare", whether from the clinical or financial side?
Posted by: Phil at Jul 19, 2009 8:16:47 PM
Phil
I don't think Klien thinks of himself as an expert on "healthcare" thats why he prefers the "experts" in government. I doubt any of the participants on this blog thinks of themselves as experts on "healthcare" I know I don't. But because government is involved everyone may be a beneficiary or a victim and so want a say in the issue.
It is important to remember we all have a right to the pursuit of healthcare not to the achievement of healthcare. Otherwise we could use government to force others to give us healthcare and thats just another form of enslavement. And no matter what the economics, that can't be right. But I doubt Klein has thought of that.
Posted by: Brian at Jul 20, 2009 12:13:00 AM
"The announcement signals there is political will to actually contain costs. This is good for the long term prospects of universal health care in MA."
Not to be confused with the long term prospects of patient's health care in MA.
Posted by: Tom at Jul 20, 2009 10:04:54 AM
"The Crying of Lot 49," is spectacular, and a lot more readable than "Gravity's Rainbow."
Posted by: David Wright at Jul 20, 2009 12:12:51 PM
Klein has published a book on health care reform. On this basis I would bet he considers himself an expert.
He has a simple view that the problem is essentially third party payments--
it is hard to say whether he is really down on the government or the insurance companies more.
If each individual had to pay out of pocket he believes demand would keep prices from rising.
And as with many other libertarian solutions, there are never any unintended consequences to his proposal.
He has also rejected the suggestion that a large part of the Massachusetts problem was that they massively underestimated the size of the un or under insured population. And of course a national program would not face the same problem , right?
Posted by: spencer at Jul 20, 2009 3:28:41 PM
