Despite all attempts to make it otherwise, the American health care system remains arcane, bloated, inefficient, and damaging to our health. We pay high premiums, endure exorbitant out-of-pocket costs, see little to no information about treatment options, and suffer often meager and sloppy care. The Affordable Care Act was an unambitious reform not likely to have an impact on these fundamental problems. But, politics aside, health care doesn't have to be this complicated. And, its costs don't have to be this high.
In this provocative and convincing essay, David Goldhill outlines the myriad misconceptions that plague American health care, and makes a radical case for reform. There is no panacea, but if we want to preserve our health and our pocketbooks, we need to normalize health care and enable a competitive, dynamic and diverse exchange where providers will be held accountable to the Americans they care for.