In Excellent Health: Setting the Record Straight on America's Health Care: 567 (Hoover Institution Press Publication) - Tapa dura

Fixing America's health care-without jeopardizing its quality

Medical care in the United States has been loudly and repeatedly derided as inferior in comparison to health care systems in much of the developed world and even in some relatively undeveloped nations. In Excellent Health offers an alternative view of the much maligned state of health care in America, challenging the statistics often cited as evidence that medical care in the United States is substandard and poor in value relative to that of other countries. Rather than relying on purely subjective judgments about equity and fairness, it provides evidence to answer the paramount question when considering quality of health care, "Where would you rather be when you are sick?"

Drawing from research documented in scientific and medical journals, the author defends both the quality of and access to medical care in the United States compared to numerous countries with nationalized systems often held up as models for health system reforms. He then suggests a logical and complete reform plan designed to maintain choice and access to excellence and facilitate competition. His proposal offers a series of key improvements in the three critical areas of the health care puzzle-tax structure, private insurance markets, and government health insurance programs-that will reduce health costs and maintain essential support for America's most vulnerable citizens, seniors and low-income families.