I'm going to be taking issue with his post a bit later, but for now, read Brad Plumer on why nationalized health care won't save GM. There is a tendency to overstate the economic benefits of an integrated health care system, and Brad, while veering a bit too far towards the other side, offers a thoughtful corrective. The point that national health care will still have to be payed for is a very good one, and so long as savings from these plans are theoretical (and potentially illusory), we shouldn't be pretending they will magically heal balance sheets and recapitalize businesses. They will have other impacts on our economy's incentive structure that'll be very powerful, and the simple act of spreading costs equitably will prove a massive help for certain overburdened members of society, but I'll deal with all that in my follow-up. For now, read Brad.
