Ordinarily, I try to steer well clear of subjects about which I know nothing - of which computer modelling is undoubtedly one.

But the release of the John Edwards healthcare plan (well, a rather scrappy seven page PDF) - following upon the trio of proposals (including Arniecare) in CA, the MA plan, other plans in the mincer in (from memory) OR, MD, who knows where next - leads me to ask, Can we have a publically available benchmarking model whereby these various plans can be tested?

I know there are companies around who will give opinions about healthcare plans - but (for obvious reasons) they guard the nuts and bolts of their system jealously.

Given the surge of interest developing fast in healthcare (unlikely to stop at the 08 election), surely it would be worthwhile funding some decently nonpartisan outfit (Ivy League, say) to produce open-source software which both experts and (up to a point) Joe Sixpack could use to test such plans.

If this is a dumb idea from the technical viewpoint, I wouldn't be at all surprised.

Just thought I'd ask, though...