Since congress is presuming that bad health and high costs are permanent, they're focusing exclusively on who pays for care.

Imagine what could be done if, instead, they focused on better health and lower costs.

You are so right! I read a very interesting article in Fortune magazine recently that discussed this topic. It was an interview with the CEO of the Cleveland Clinic. He said that 75% of Americans' healthcare costs can be directly attributed to lack of exercise, smoking and obesity, and that regardless of what public policy goes in place, healthcare costs are going to rise substantially. This is because of these three problems multiplied by the number of Americans who are aging.

They keep costs down by having docs on salary – as opposed to compensation for procedures, and they have only one year contracts. At the end of the year, the get measured and it is determined whether they get a raise, a promotion or perhaps let go. They also focus advanced healthcare at hi-tech hospitals and routine stuff out in the regional hospitals, rather than everything everywhere.

It's a good read. Here's the link:
http://money.cnn.com/2010/02/17/news/companies/…

1. Reality bites.
2. The vast majority of Americans will never accumulate enough money to satisfy the existing system.
3. The existing system must be changed to accommodate human beings; not money.
4. I could go on and on about this subject but I'll stop here. Suffice to say that you hit a sore spot.