National Health Insurance

Paul Krugman’s column in today’s NY Times makes some interesting points about Americans' health care. Fewer companies are providing workers’ health benefits and those that do are reducing them. Krugman says it’s plain that the only solution to our growing health care crisis is national health insurance, but..

"…to see the obvious we'll have to overcome pride - the unwarranted belief that America has nothing to learn from other countries - and prejudice - the equally unwarranted belief, driven by ideology, that private insurance is more efficient than public insurance.

"Let's start with the fact that America's health care system spends more, for worse results, than that of any other advanced country.

"In 2002 the United States spent $5,267 per person on health care. Canada spent $2,931; Germany spent $2,817; Britain spent only $2,160. Yet the United States has lower life expectancy and higher infant mortality than any of these countries.

"Above all, Americans are far more likely than others to forgo treatment because they can't afford it. Forty percent of the Americans surveyed failed to fill a prescription because of cost. A third were deterred by cost from seeing a doctor when sick or from getting recommended tests or follow-up...and our fragmented system is unable to bargain with drug companies and other suppliers for lower prices."

Yeah...National Health is great idea but I'll probably die on the couch before the bought-and-sold Congress stands up to the Insurance Industry.