Open Mike 3: Health Care (links)

This Wikipedia article gives some background information about the health care systems in various countries, how much countries spend on health care, etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care

We can broadly discuss

- Universal health care vs. private health care
Arguing for universal health care in India - http://indiatogether.org/2005/oct/ksh-health.htm

- Role of the insurance companies in providing health-care
An article in yesterday's NYTimes - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/business/19health.html

- High cost of medicines vs. funding for future research

- Is it okay to market drugs directly to consumers/patients?
http://www.pbs.org/now/science/scienceforsale.html
http://www.pbs.org/now/science/drugads.html

- Franchise model to provide health care
Link to such an enterprise in Kenya - http://www.pbs.org/now/enterprisingideas/cfw.html

- and since it is open mike.....anything else that comes up

Some more links to a lot more useful links -

http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/healthcare.html#sites
http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/medicare.html#sites

Couple of articles on state of healthcare in India
http://www.indiatogether.org/2006/oct/hlt-nocare.htm
http://indiatogether.com/2006/jan/psa-health.htm