1. This model's inputs are limited to this bill only, and the outputs are likely only those under the purview of the CBO. This isn't a real economic model.

2. There is no standing models that exist for the current system, with all outputs considered

3. There is no model, as described above, for properly evaluating whether an alternate model is as good as, better than, or worse than, any other model.

We will get nowhere if we don't benchmark!

The "inputs" here, in this case, should be one of the better run examples of single payer elsewhere in the world, altered to be adapted to our country. Does Elmondorf's adaptation of the CBO model do this? I seriously doubt it.

The outputs, to be fair, must include the effects of relieving business, large and small, of the burden of having to provide health care coverage. And I know, since we haven't heard so much as an official whisper from anyone* on the supply-side effects, the model is invalid.

I don't need to be an economist to come to this conclusion. I'm only applying the things I've learned from my experience in modeling systems. Even if an expert cranks a flawed model, it will still output garbage. Where's the benchmarking?

*Obama alluded to this at the height of the debates over the auto bailout and the union give-backs at that time.

This do be one o' th' issues tha' be no' gettin' near enough attention...'long wi' patients insistin' on havin' expensive, unnecessary tests, procedures, an' medicine just 'cause it b thar.

I be firmly b'lievin' a single-payer system be th' solution fer insurin', bu' th' other side - th' doctor an' patient side, needs t' be takin' another look a' themselves, too. All th' cov'rage in th' world won't be doin' no good if costs can't be contained an' outcomes can't be improved!

Arrgh!

Six key Senate Centrists--Ben Nelson (D-NE), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Ron Wyden (D-OR)--are asking Democratic and Republican leaders to slow down the pace of health care reform efforts.

"[I]n the view of [CBO Director Doug Elmendorf's] statement, there is much heavy lifting ahead," reads a letter the group signed today. "We look forward to working with you to develop legislation that is vital to the well-being of the American people and urge you to resist timelines which prevent us from achieving the best results."

And to think I was worried about HC being slowly muddled to death.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/06/01/090601fa_fact_gawande

I also highly recommend my colleague michael grunwald's look at how the mayo clinic does things differently. You can find a link here:

http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/06/19/must-read-health-care-story-of-the-day/