Health care costs so much for many reasons, the top three being that those who get it via their employment, overuse and misuse it, modern medicine ( drugs, machines, testing ) costs a LOT of money today, and law suits.
No, we aren't "turning into Mexico" and such hyperbole is of no help whatsoever.
"The discrepancy rate [between rich and poor] was far greater at t he end of the 19th century..."
You have exactly made my point. Poverty was rampant, and the middle class very small. We are again moving in that direction.
Regarding health care costs. You make some valid points about overuse, misuse, and law suits, but the fact is that segments of the medical/drug industry make 20% annual profit, compared with from 2% to 7% profit by many other major corporations.
Another point was made that part of CEO compensation increases are from stock options. This is part of the problem. Remember how Enron executives sold off their stocks well in advance of the bad news that Enron was toast. If CEO's are to be issued stock, and if it is to be an incentive to run the company well, then there should be a provision that, let's say for example, that they can only sell 20% of their share in any one year. Thus they would at least have to plan for the next five years, instead of raiding the company for their own profit.