Nearly all of the reform proposals in Washington insist on tighter government control over an industry which wields the power of life and death - literally. The new power would then rest in bureaucracies possessing the compassion of the IRS and the efficiency of the post office. For those Americans who support reform but suspect the ability of Washington, this book will raise your conscience and offer real solutions. The theme is that shortcomings in our health care system do not imply that the private sector can not work in this part of the economy. The authors point out that, surprisingly, the private market has never been given a chance to work here.
Health care is actually the most regulated industry in America.
The authors suggest that instead of imposing more regulation and adding more levels of bureaucracy, policymakers should take a more original approach. They recommend reforming the tax code by injecting an ounce of capitalism and a pound of reality to the system. One specific reform would be to eliminate the peculiar rule that employer contributions to group health insurance doesn't count as taxable income for employees. This tax ruling, an historical accident arising out of World War II, has created a strong incentive for the private health insurance market to be organized around employment-based groups. This preference, according to the authors, is at the root of the many of our problems.