The Cost of Doing Nothing

By Keith R. Schmitz

Reported by the Los Angles Times, health care spending grew to a record 17.3% of the U.S. economy last year, marking the largest one-year jump in its share of the economy since the government started keeping such records half a century ago.

Obviously the cost of making us well is making the economy sick, and if we do nothing health care will eat us alive.

Sorry, the answer here is not tax cuts. Nor is it high deductible insurance plans, which are driving people into debt. What we need is thinking along the lines of sending a man to the moon, but thanks to our campaign financing system and rigid ideologues, the chances are slim.