Health policy in the United States is unique, to say the least. We are the only developed economy that does not have nationalized health care and despite popular belief, the United States does not have the best healthcare in the world even though we spend the most on it. According to the World Health Organization, the United States ranks 37th in health care – just behind Costa Rica and above Slovenia and Cuba. So how did we get into this economic and unhealthy mess? It’s a long story full of scandals, politics, history, economics, and American culture. In this space, I’ll seek to tell that story and explain healthcare policy, and the debates that swirl around it, in accessible terms.
In just a week, Americans will go to the polls to decide whether President Obama will get a second term. Healthcare reform – the president’s signature legislative achievement – hangs in the balance. Read More