This thoughtful and depressing article from the New York Times describes the actual health care costs to individuals in graphic terms; how it impacts their salary and how the political process ensures that the high costs continue.

The author closes with a modest proposal on how the system might change by only insuring for unexpected, catastrophic illness – leaving the remainder to individuals to self-insure.

Clearly such a suggestion would be resisted by most everyone. We currently consume health care in the context that we expect routine and affordable treatments such as teeth cleaning, eyeglasses, and contraception be paid for by someone else.

Most of us will drive a mile to save a couple of  cents on gas. If our car insurance paid for gas,  which it would if health insurance behavior applied to cars, not only would we go to the closest station, but the price of the gas would not be posted. Read More…