Myths and potentials

The struggle over health care reform in the United States pits two powerful myths against one another. The first myth, long held and strongly entrenched, promotes the illusion that the existing health care nonsystem allows broad freedom of choice and access to uniformly available, compassionate, component health providers. The second myth posits a new illusion. It suggests that competing organized care systems, under economic pressures for cost containment, will assure broad freedom of choice and access to uniformly available, compassionate, competent health providers. Both myths deny reality.