Abstract

In Healing Medicare, Michael Decter (1994) quotes from a speech made in 1982 by Tommy Douglas: "When we began to plan medicare (35 years previously), we pointed out that it would be in two phases. The first phase would be to remove the financial barrier between those giving the service and those receiving it. The second phase would be to reorganize and revamp the delivery system - and of course, that's the big item. It's the big thing we haven't done yet."