In his timely article, "Government Aid or Self-Help," Alfred Adler challenged the medical profession and the affluent to support government sponsored medical insurance. Although written in 1903, describing the political debates in Vienna, the issues echo our current health care controversies. Adler emphasized that government cannot be relied on to reform health care, that any meaningful progress could only come from the efforts of the medical profession. Read his provocative article at www.Adlerian.us/adler-govt-aid.htm.

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Henry T. Stein, Ph.D,

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From the Canadian experience at least here in Ontario, government is not only unable to reform health care, but it will probably create a bureaucratic and expensive and intrusive nightmare. I am not excluding governmental assistance for the poor and folks with catastrophic needs, but a sole provider, state only operated system without the cleansing effects of a free market economy is a guarantee for disaster. It will also prove to be very expensive. On the other hand a sole source of health care service moneys in the private sector is just a different type of evil. I understand that the British have a rather effective private/public system and a very fine health care system where the poor and rich are treated with equality as suffering humans regardless of their financial standing. Many years ago I met a senior British orthopedic surgeon and professor who, when I asked him if he got payed for his services on the public ward responded, "Oh God no, I have an embarrassment of money. I do this because I wish to and want to!" He looked confused by my question. I would beg the American people not to adopt the sole source Canadian system with its frightening civil service overburden.

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George Neeson M.D.

Do you think that the not-for-profit healthcare system, similar to the Willis Knighton approach in Louisiana (USA) <http://www.wkhs.com/About/History.aspx> is a possible solution?

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Henry T. Stein, Ph.D,

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It does look well done "but" who competes with them to ensure they "stay honest"? I still feel a public/private competitive system would be best. These folks are competing with the insurance industry, is what I suspect, but I do not understand how health care is financed in the USA.

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George Neeson M.D.