Memorable Ash Wednesdays
On this day in 1600, Giordano Bruno, a proponent of heliocentrism, was burned at the stake for heresy. [link]
On this day in 1990, Gerry Musgrave and I began work on Patient Power, a book that challenged conventional wisdom on virtually every aspect of health policy. Fortunately, heresy is no longer a crime.
Ah, yes. But they surely would burn you at the stake if they could.
On a Google search, I discoverd there as a statue of Bruno. May be there should be a statue of Goodman and Musgrave as well.
I must say, I really like your Ash Wednesday post. And, happy Patient Power anniversary.
However, we were working on the ideas in the book ten years earlier.
Huh. 1980 was about when I first recall being outraged over the employer exemption. I was working my way through college in union factory; apparently because of low seniority I was considered a seasonal worker, and thus not entitled to the tax-free benefits that some of my co-workers received. I can actually recall raising the issue at a union meeting. I wanted the option of receiving part of my wage as pre-tax benefits.
Ironically, I now realize that the pittance I was paying for private insurance was almost certainly much cheaper–even with after-tax dollars–than any company plan.
Patient Power is now available on-line.
Here is the link: http://www.ncpathinktank.org/pub/patient-power