Catastrophic Care: How American Health Care Killed My Father--and How We Can Fix It
Dysfunctional and undisciplined. That is Goldhill’s assessment of the current U.S. health-care system. President and CEO of the Game Show Network, Goldhill believes the trouble stems from “a culture lacking customer accountability: high prices, excess, errors, underinvestment in information technology, lack of follow-up.” Spurred by the death of his father from a hospital-acquired infection, Goldhill has devoted considerable time and thought to repairing health care. His book sprouted from a 2009 article he penned for the Atlantic. Encounters with the health-care system usually involve gargantuan intermediaries—Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies, entities Goldhill cites for inefficiency. They also generate increased demand for services. His alternative to the status quo combines national health insurance (for everyone but not everything) with a market-based system that gets rid of intermediaries and allows individuals to deal directly with providers. Individual health accounts, catastrophic insurance with a high deductible, and health loans are key components. The health-care system is gashed. Goldhill thinks it’s time to rip off the colossal Band-Aid and apply a different kind of balm. --Tony Miksanek