Dull but Important

Hilary Clinton offered a piece of a health care plan this week. The LA Times reporter didn't actually know enough to avoid saying a dumb thing - that Clinton is distrusted by the industry because she believes in big government. Actually, her 1993-94 fiasco of a health care plan was a giant circuitboard love letter to the managed care industry, offering them millions of tiny jacks to pull money out of every single wallet in the United States. So don't expect anything good from her now.

But she does say a few true things:

• Premiums have almost doubled since 2000
• the nation spends 16% of its gross domestic product on health care
• 30% of the cost increase is related to the doubling of obesity among adults during the last two decades (crap I didn't know that one - we are in serious trouble)
• and administrative costs are the highest in the world

Remember that last one. The most privatized health care system in the rich world has the highest administrative costs.

Health care needs a little public sector efficiency.