Dr Wah identified 1.2 trillion dollars in savings that could be made through changing patient behaviors, which is half of Americas out of control healthcare expenses.
Prevention, patient education and early diagnosis and intervention are key to driving down American healthcare costs.
See his talk and others on the costs and outcomes at
http://www.vimeo.com/...
America at 17% plus of GDP is spending at almost twice the rate of Australia and other major countries. Unless there is true universal health insurance combined with a collective effort to change behaviors, this cost will drive America to bankruputcy.
The problem is not so much Medicare but rather the consequence of peope arriving on these programs after not being treated early and also arriving in ER before age 65 and the cost of all of that unpaid for emergency care being shifted into the rates.
The problem is cost and its root costs, not the insurance policy trying to pay those costs.