Money makes the world go around, The world go around, the world go around, Money makes the world go around, It makes the world go around. —From Cabaret (Fred Ebb and John Kander) “It’s so difficult caring for patients these days! Rules and guidelines, financial and managerial barriers drive doctors crazy.” “Steve, I keep reading about presidential campaign promises in your newspapers. What do you think will actually happen to the US health care system with a new President?” “Mike, I keep reading that the National Health Service (NHS) is changing too—is it really? How long are your waiting lists?” “How can physicians influence what’s happening in our countries? Do we actually know what we want?” We were seeing patients together. “Because we still have 45 million uninsured in the United States, there are people who say that health insurance for everyone needs to be our first priority.” “I would certainly agree with that, Steve! We see universal coverage as a responsibility of society to all its citizens; the marketplace has a role, sure, and you could devise a system that places the market in control. Obviously, there are health care systems other than the NHS model that could be considered. And after all, no other country has followed the United Kingdom in its tax-based, universal, cradle-to-grave, everything covered, open to all, free at the point of care, system—60 years old this year. There must be a message there. Perhaps this election will generate the debate that needs to take place in the United States.” “You’re right—there’s no groundswell in the United States to emulate the NHS! But universal health insurance won’t solve the issue of runaway health care costs any more than your tax-based system has. When I entered medical school in 1964, the Medicare/Medicaid programs were on the …