Health Care Crisis

America's current health care crisis and what to do about it.

Background perspective:

All other western democracies have universal health care/single payer systems.  All health care systems will have their flaws, but all these government,  non-market systems deliver as good a quality of health care, as long a life expectancy, and ALL citizens are covered at roughly half the cost  as the U.S. health care hodgepodge.  The market system may not be the best way to deliver health care; the market system can be and often is rigged by the rich.

After listening to experts on Iowa Public Radio and Iowa Public TV, I have concluded the following:

1.  Over the last 50 years, health care costs have risen from about 5 percent of the GNP to 17 percent and they will likely continue to rise under the current fee-for-service, market-driven system.  The current system is too much for the federal government to finance; nor can the states and cities finance it, nor can employers and employees, nor can hospitals finance it.

2.  The present fee-for service system is broken, irreparable by reforms---Democratic or Republican.  We need a new model that rewards prevention and wellness.  Obamacare encouraged some of this model but it did not go far enough.

3.  We need a Medicare for All system.  Even Warren Buffet, the ultimate capitalist, says so.  And Matthew Dowd, a Republican strategist agrees.  Medicare for All needs the power to negotiate drug prices.

4.  The transition from a market driven system to Medicare for All would be difficult, but now, at this time of crisis, may be the best time to do it.