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Sunday, December 31st, 2017

The Leap to Single-Payer: What Taiwan Can Teach

Author:     Aaron E. Carroll and Austin Frakt
Source:     The New York Times
Publication Date:     Dec. 26, 2017
 Link: The Leap to Single-Payer: What Taiwan Can Teach
Stephan:   One of the objections raised about creating a single payer healthcare system is that the change would be too difficult. It's a lie, but widely believed. Consider Taiwan. I would propose to you that the real problem about creating a single payer system is that the conversion would create real healthcare and eliminate the illness profit system that has sucked trillions of dollars out of the pockets of ordinary people and placed profit above human wellbeing.

The Taipei 101 building, far left, in Taiwan. Relative to the U.S. and some other countries, Taiwan spends a lot less of its economy on health care.
CreditDavid Chang/European Pressphoto Agency

Taiwan is proof that a country can make a swift and huge change to its health care system, even in the modern day.

The United States, in part because of political stalemate, in part because it has been hemmed in by its history, has been unable to be as bold.

Singapore, which we wrote about in October, tinkers with its health care system all the time. Taiwan, in contrast, revamped its top to bottom.

Less than 25 years ago, Taiwan had a patchwork system that included insurance provided for those who worked privately or for the government, or for trade associations involving farmers or fishermen. Out-of-pocket payments were high, and physicians practiced […]

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1 Comment

  1. Mark R on Sunday, December 31, 2017 at 6:25 am

    Though personally I don’t advocate for single payer, I agree with Stephan’s assessment. It is feasible.