It's only a crisis if you are affected

It continues to amaze us that so many observers of the health care coverage debate in our nation don't seem to see a problem with the current system.

In fact, one columnist said something to the effect that President Obama and certain members of Congress are trying to force changes on an American public that supposedly is more than content with the way things are.

We submit that the need to do something about our broken health care system is one of the major reasons for the outcome of the 2008 elections. We don't think any "player" in the effort to reform the system has all the answers, but one must at least start with the realization that there are massive problems.

Part of the problem over the years has been that those in a position to take steps to reform the system are, individually, in good financial shape and have more than adequate health care coverage for their families. As an example, the average American would be thrilled to have the type of coverage members of Congress currently enjoy.

As a first step toward seeing the need for sweeping reform, consider these facts:

--One out of three Americans under the age of 65 was without health insurance at some point during the past two years, a staggering 86.7 million people.

--Employers' cost for health care insurance is expected to rise approximately nine percent in 2010, well above the cost-of-living, making it more and more difficult for businesses to continue to provide coverage for employees.

--Between 1999 and 2007, the cost of health insurance premiums rose 114 percent, while wages increased only 27 percent during the same period.

--Health care cost per capita in the United States is dramatically higher than other industrialized nations, ranging from two to three times greater; this is in spite of the fact that the United States is the only such nation that does not provide some form of universal coverage for its citizens.

--Despite the dramatically higher costs per capita, studies (such as one performed by the Commonwealth Fund) indicate the United States ranks below such countries as the United Kingdom, Germany and New Zealand in terms of medical access, efficiency, equity and healthy lives.

--Roughly half of all bankruptcies in the United States are medical-related.

--Under the current system, competitive inequality in business often relates to the comparative costs of health coverage; this is one of the basic reasons for the ongoing problems faced by the United States auto industry.

--Many employees in the United States are trapped in jobs they do not want or enjoy because of the need to retain health insurance coverage. This also applies to workers who might be able to retire earlier if it weren't for the immediate loss of affordable health care coverage.

The Obama Administration certainly does not have all the answers for reforming the American health care system, but critics who don't see that the system essentially is broken need to make contact with the real world. Those who say we have the greatest health care system in the world and only minor tweaking is needed clearly are looking at their own favored individual position and fail to see the millions who are not served, or are woefully underserved.

They also are not focused on the exorbitant costs of the current system which cannot be sustained much longer.

--REK