Q&A: The Non-Existent Public Option As ACA's Achilles' Heel

The words “single payer” are among the dirtiest in healthcare’s lexicon — but mostly here in America. Some of the other countries operating either single payer or so-called dual systems that essentially pit a public option against private care have seen certain measures of success. And that is among the reason that some other countries, such as Singapore, have superior healthcare. 

So contends David Lareau. As CEO of health IT vendor Medicomp Systems, Lareau regularly globe-treks to service and search out customers and, along the way, witnesses myriad health systems from the inside. Lareau spoke with Government Health IT editor Tom Sullivan about the competitive virtues of a thriving public option, how the U.S. healthcare system stacks up against some of the superior nations, and why low-cost incentives are not aligned with care delivery outcomes in a fashion to bend that cost curve...