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NZ works excellently.

That is a pretty big claim... Have you ever actually lived in NZ and experienced the realities of paying for this system via taxes and claiming its services? Have you monitored the incessant demands for more services at better quality, the incessant complaints about being over-worked and underfunded, the endless criticisms and debates about inefficiency, long wait times, burdensome bureaucracy, poor outcomes, and unhappy doctors?

Outright fraud and corruption is just the tip of the iceberg of problems that naturally develop when a society decides to sever the act of consumption from the actual purchase of a service.



You're not afraid of making some pretty big claims yourself. Wikipedia[1] supports my claim that while the situation might not be perfect it works quite well and that's the most important thing. Compared to other countries, the US in particular, the NZ healthcare system delivers good results. Which in my view makes it excellent.

Then what about the negative aspects you mention. Well, in the Netherlands we have a similar system and to be honest I don't care about all the whining you mention. Sure, people complain and things probably can be better. There is always room for improvement. Unfortunately people will complain about healthcare if they stub their toe. Fuck 'em, you can't stop these people from complaining and policy should not accommodate their every whim.

Can you support your claim that bad things happen and go unpunished

> when a society decides to sever the act of consumption from the actual purchase of a service.

I'm not feeling them, my family is not feeling them and my MD friends are happy with their jobs. And don't forget: the private sector is still an option so there is a choice.

[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_New_Zealand


You're confusing ideology (dogma) with market design and (lack of) incentives.

Markets are good for determining price. Not finding efficient solutions. You've heard of "rent seeking"?

Single payer systems enable the capitation model of care services. Because wellness is incentivized, vs the treatment of disease.




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