You really should listen to this whole interview. You get the feeling they were starting a program without first figuring out how it would really work, and how it would change incentives and behavior. They planned to get it started, then worry about the details. Sound familiar?
EXCERPT:
"CHANA JOFFE-WALT: In 1965, Joe Califano had to answer a question. He didn't know it was such a big question, or a question that would change the course of health care in American for the next five decades. It just seemed simple: How should the government pay doctors?
DAVID KESTENBAUM: Califano was President Lyndon Johnson's adviser for domestic affairs. And the government was about to get into the health insurance business in a huge way - about to launch the largest health insurance plan we've ever had: Medicare. But the idea made doctors nervous, so LBJ, Califano and lawmakers made what seemed like a small concession. The government told doctors: We will pay you for every procedure you do. How much will we pay you? Whatever you think is right.
JOFFE-WALT: Califano shakes his head describing that call now. But he says, look, the government needed doctors to participate. If doctors didn't accept Medicare, wouldn't see patients covered by Medicare, the whole thing would fail."
