Very first sentence of the article embodies the entirety of the ‘problem’...
“One of the most important challenges facing lawmakers today at both the state and federal levels is the rising cost of health care.”
Those of us old enough to remember can recall when Doctors had open office hours, most any of the common medicines he/she might need, perhaps a nurse to assist, and time for each patient.
We also recall that the cost, at the time, was not horrendous, even for those of moderate (or less) means. My own parents were not wealthy. We inched into the middle class as Dad’s employment became more and more predictable. It cost $1 to visit the doctor. We had two in the small town where I grew up. When one was on vacation or away, the other stood in his place.
My father, like most, carried what today is called catastrophic coverage. It didn’t pay a dime for the routine stuff, but kicked in when more extensive testing, treatments, or hospitalization was required. He paid the premiums via his employment.
The point is this...
Health Care Costs in the US did not take off like a rocket until AFTER the Federal Government got their sticky mitts in the game in the late 50’s and early 60’s.
Since then...we’ve devolved into the current morass. This is a perfect example of the inevitable failure of government intervention...needless intervention.
You can find the stories of government sponsorship of polio vaccination programs, vaccines for a number of childhood diseases, and so forth. The progressive, the socialists, will have you believe that government was required because the private sector was not capable of mounting the resources necessary, etc. You’ll find those who think we are in a better place, today, with health care as a result of government intervention.
That is Bullshit, pure and simple.
Paying $1 to visit a doctor was way before my time[1958-].
It probably was $10/visit as a kid for me and my mom.
In 1979, my father got upset over having to pay $25 for his wife’s visits while her sister paid $20/visit.
The proposed changes seem to be good ones.