Health Summit Should Be Must-See TV

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writes better articles than most of the other stuff appearing here at USNWR.
In a nutshell, what you have above is a good discussion of how health care in America is run by and for corporations---not citizens. There is no "private market" fix for that. Only governments can set an objective such as "We ARE going to cover all people"----period, and whether it is "profitable" for any particular corporation(s) or not. The question is whether modern Americans can ever again marshall the political will to enable such government action, or whether we are already so "captured" by incorporated entities that we cannot.

Muser of NM 3:04PM February 24, 2010

The problems I have with Obama's approach, are the requirement for people who can't afford Health coverage - be forced to - with inadequate subsidies. If they can't afford it now??? and the "health care czar death panel scenario." How come we can't take these off of the table? Why are they sacred? This is what fumes people. DUH! This is the most cleared headed writing I have read on the subject. I will be on the look out for articles by Mr. Moeller in the future.

Randy of CO 1:13PM February 24, 2010

Medical "costs" are soaring, and there is nothing in these bills which addresses this. Hospital costs, doctor's cost, drug costs, administrative costs---these are the core costs that everyone is IGNORING. Why?
Conservatives want tort reform and that will definitely reduce doctor's costs;
I think we need to send a turnaround agent to hospitals to identify opportunities (streamline and standardize procedures) for costs savings. Anyone who's been to the hospital KNOWS they can do things faster, cheaper and with less people. For example, why does it cost $1600 and 7 hospital employees to get 4 stitches in a finger?
Why does a doctor's office need so many administrative people?
We need the kind of change agents that private industry uses to reduce costs.
Of course, it needs to be customized for the medical industry, but it appears
doctors, nurses either don't have the time or don't think in those terms.

Paul of OH 12:40PM February 24, 2010

There is one major inaccuracy in this report that needs to be corrected. The author stated that "the reality is that 80 to 90 percent of the money you pay them gets spent paying bills from hospitals, doctors, pharmaceutical companies, and other medical services and supplies." The reality is that number is actually 70 percent, the companies maintain a 30 percent margin for "administrative" costs which include executive bonuses and profits.
The U.S. is the only free, industrialized country with a for-profit health insurance industry and the only one where a huge section of its population goes without access to health care. Think about it, with universal health care all of our Emergency Rooms would be free to focus on emergencies.

Richard Troxel of CA 11:37AM February 24, 2010

'In the 45 years since Medicare, nothing has prevented the private sector from "fixing" health care.' This is absolutely true. But the GOP remains resolute that encouraging providers to lower costs will still, somehow magically work. Business as usual just won't suffice. There are realms of life that capitalism doesn't work and therefore doesn't belong.

Stephen of TX 11:04AM February 24, 2010