“Giving Health Care a Chance to Evolve” from Robert Franks’ New York Times column was a great explanation of the basic reasons for the structure of the health care overhaul that Obama is undertaking. It describes the historical antecedents behind the current system and the rationale for building upon this system rather than a wholesale replacement. It articulates the necessity for all people electing coverage and the burden that uninsured individuals visit upon society.

Franks states: “…It isn’t that people should buy health insurance because it would be good for them. Rather, failure to do so would cause significant harm to others. Society will always step in to provide care — though in much more costly and often delayed and ineffective forms — to the uninsured who fall ill. To claim the right not to buy health insurance is thus to assert a right to impose enormous costs on others. Many legal scholars insist that the Constitution guarantees no such right.” Read more…

With millions of Americans lacking health insurance, the Supreme Courts’ decision last week was a celebration for many.  Eugene Robinson’s article in the Washington Post, “The Supreme Court helps Heal the Nation,” provides a refreshing view on why the most important thing about the law  “is the assumption that every American, rich or poor, should have access to adequate health care.”  Read more…