Palm-Reading the Invisible Hand: A Critical Examination of Pro-Competitive Reform Proposals

The conviction that competition could discipline the medical marketplace more adequately than regulation is rapidly ascendant among Washington policymakers. This article assesses the effects of the competition strategy on those who currently have health insurance coverage, especially those with employer-provided group insurance. It also raises questions about the workability and fairness of competition proposals for the elderly, and for the uninsured and underinsured poor and working poor.