I think it is fair to conclude from this that the Massachusetts health reform plan, which in some ways is the model for the plans currently under discussion in Congress, was a failure. Thanks to Mark Ambinder for the pointer.

Maybe the commission's proposal is a step in the right direction. Even if it is, I would suggest that perhaps no expert knows how to design the health care system. We may need a lot of trial and error. Government takeover means that you try something new every few years...maybe. Your choices are limited because entrenched interests preclude many options.

With markets, trial and error takes place continuously. A lot more things get tried. Failure gets weeded out more ruthlessly.

via Massachusetts Health Reform, Version 2.0?, Arnold Kling | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty.