Why is health care a problem that needs repair?

Health care is a business. It includes giant pharmaceutical companies that develop and market drugs, large hospitals that employ thousands of professional staff and house costly equipment, long-term care facilities, and physicians working as individuals or in group practices. Costs of investment and development have to be covered, payrolls have to be met, and profits have to be made. All of this is understandable. The problem, however, is that the cost of health care has escalated to the point that normal people cannot pay for it. For example, several years ago, my wife had to go to an emergency room and spent about twelve hours in the hospital. The cost was $13,000. How many people in America can afford to pay out $13,000 for something other than food, clothing, transportation, and shelter?

The solution to health care is insurance. An insurance agency collects a certain amount from an individual within a year and gambles that it will be able to pay all the medical bills for which it is liable. After all, not all people will need expensive health care in a given period of time. Unfortunately, the health insurance business is yet another ring in the total business complex that dominates health care and, in this case, it seems purely motivated as a profit-taking activity with no real interest in health or general welfare. The health insurance business is, in effect, an enormous gambling casino.

Insurance companies have several strategies for maximizing profits and minimizing costs. First, they can charge increasing amounts for their coverage. Second, they can restrict their coverage liability. Third, they can deny claims. Virtually all of them exercise all three options.

The American public faces three options in health care. First, the system can be allowed to continue freely, and it looks like the end result of that would be health care for the fortunate few who are able to pay. The rest must suffer and, ultimately, die. Second, the health care industry could regulate itself so as to offer care to everyone who needs it. It would be absolutely astonishing if that were to happen. Hence, third, under the general concept of controlling utilities, the health care industry could be regulated. Between the three options, this is the only option that could offer Americans real welfare. When we look around the world, we find every other First World country in possession of a well regulated health care system. What prevents that from realization in America is the greed of those who dominate our system today, the very corporations and individuals who own Congress and have bought enough votes to prevent any real change.