How and Why US Health Care Differs From That in Other OECD Countries

Fush talks about the health care reform needed by the US. Three basic differences between the US and most other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries might explain why health policy differs. First, US individuals appear more distrustful of government, a distrust that has deep historical roots. Second, heterogeneity of the US population tends to strengthen resistance to redistribution. And lastly, difference between the US and most OECD countries is the political system. President Obama's Affordable Care Act, if fully implemented, would involve significant redistribution with tens of millions of poor and sick persons obtaining health insurance paid for by others. Comprehensive health care reform in the US is necessary to avoid a financial disaster, but enactment of such reform will require attention to US history, values, and politics.