Election 2008 - Health Care

The October 23rd edition of The New England Journal of Medicine contains two thought provoking articles on health care reform: Three "Inconvenient Truths" about Health Care A strong case for comprehensive reform of the U.S. health care system has been made many times. The high cost of care, the large number of uninsured people, and the rapid increase in expenditures year after year have convinced many that our system is a mess. The obstacles to reform, however, are numerous and complex and have thus far proved insurmountable. The present impasse must give way to recognition that major change will not be an option much longer: it will be a necessity. Divergent interests and values must find some common ground, and all sides must acknowledge that the status quo is no longer sustainable, given three "inconvenient truths" about health care. Slowing the Growth of Health Care Costs — Learning from International Experience High health care expenditures and the growing number of people without health insurance set the United States apart from all other industrialized countries. The United States spends twice per capita what other major industrialized countries spend on health care but is the only one that fails to provide near-universal health insurance coverage. We also fail to achieve health outcomes as good, or value for health spending as high, as what is achieved in other countries.