http://www.startribune.com/business/28113379.htmlThis is interesting. Minnesota saw the advent of retail clinics, and they have become very popular here. They are basically small clinics inside retailers like Walgreens or other related businesses where you can get a checkup and get basic medical care for much cheaper than going to a conventional clinic or urgentcare.
But it appears that they haven't driven costs down at all, overall.
While this certainly doesn't prove that we need socialized medicine right now, it does show that simply allowing free-market principles to dominate will not fix our medical system.
The free market will allow greater choices for people that need care. It doesn't necessarily mean that the care will be affordable or accessible. There is plenty of money to be made in the healthcare industry without catering to the poor.
