"AMERICAN HEALTHCARE": THE "BRAND"

One definition of a brand is "consistency of experience that satisfies expectations." A consistent experience at Nordstrom's is different than what is expected at a Wal-Mart, for example. They each have a distinct brand.

"American Healthcare," -- that's to say, the mixed 50/50 private/public-financed U.S. healthcare system -- is considered by a substantial majority of Americans to be the best brand of healthcare in the world -- compared to the government-run Canadian, UK and Cuban brands.

The healthcare reformers/reformulators in Congress who pushed Obamacare think they can do better. Because, after all, "look at Medicare" (a success except it will bankrupt the nation). But it's easier to start a new brand than to reformulate an old one. The difference between Medicare and the new healthcare law, is that in 1965 Medicare did not for the most part substitute for some other care. It was new -- not a replacement. It started small and grew to be gargantuan. Obamacare is starting out as gargantuan.

If people react as they did to a reformulated soft drink like New Coke, try to imagine the uproar to come as they gradually see American Healthcare being replaced by Obamacare.