“The White House has indicated that it could accept a nonprofit health care cooperative as an alternative to a new government insurance plan, originally favored by President Obama. But the co-op idea is so ill defined that no one knows exactly what it would look like or how effectively it would compete with commercial insurers. What is certain is that, as a substitute for a government plan, the co-op concept disappoints many liberals and stirs little enthusiasm among insurers or Republican lawmakers.” (New York Times ^[1], Tuesday)

Public option or co-ops–either approach depends on a misunderstanding of the role of profit.

FEE Timely Classic
“For-Profit Medicine and the Compassion Motive” ^[2] by Tom G. Palmer