Politics and Health

This New York Times column by Dr. Aaron Carroll acknowledges an important truth: "Even in Basic Health Decisions, You Can’t Screen Out Politics".

Whenever people expect "somebody else" to pay for their health care, then inevitably "somebody else" will decide what care they will (or will not) receive.

This is also why I support health reforms that allow patients to control as much of their own health spending as possible (such as Health Savings Accounts, direct pay primary care, and catastrophic-only insurance with as few mandated benefits as possible.)