Spend/Not Spend so much on Health Care?

As much as Americans spend on health care, we do not get much better care than countries that spend much less on health care. We don't live as long as people that have cheap health care, like Canada, Japan, and most of Western Europe. Misdiagnosis and medical error is most common in the U.S. than many other countries.

In choosing their health reform plan, President Obama and the Democrats eschewed radical changes and tried to minimize the disruptions to the current system. Mr. Obama went so far as to suggest there would be no disruptions, saying that people could keep their current plan if they liked it. But that’s not quite right. It is not possible to change a system as huge, and as hugely flawed, as ours without some disruptions.

For example, many fast food workers are underinsured. McDonald’s offers its hourly workers two different health care plans, which are known as “mini-med” plans. In one, workers can pay about $730 a year for benefits of up to $2,000. In the other, they can pay about $1,660 a year for benefits of up to $10,000, The Journal reported.In a memo to federal regulators, McDonald’s executives argued that their version of health insurance “positively impacts” the almost 30,000 workers who are covered. And that’s true. A plan with a $2,000 or $10,000 cap can cover some modest health problems and is better than being uninsured. Is it worth it?