Lack of Cnsumerism - Why Health Care Costs So Much

I have two author friends in St. Paul, Minnesota, Greg Datillo, a health care agent, and Dave Racer, a publisher and author. They have an ambitious project – to write six pithy books on why health care costs so much. Their two immediate audience are health care agents throughout the land and consumers who pay the health care freight.

Greg and Dave have sent me their first two books of Why Health Care Costs So Much; Book One, The Solution: Consumers, 76 pages, and Book Two, The Government’s Role , 92 pages.

You can purchase them by calling 651-340-1911, or by emailing them at alethosepress@comcast.net. The books sell for $3.50 each with hefty discounts of 70% for volume orders. You can send checks to Althose Press, LLC, PO Box 600160, 55106,

Greg and Dave believe Government and the Private Sector have roles to play. Govcare for those who do not own private health insurances, and the private system for those who either own their health insurance or prefer to pay their own way.

For Govcare, they suggest three steps: 1) quit forcing ERs to act as medical clinics; 2) increase use of Community Health Centers; 3) make sure uninsured have access to public hospitals. Government, they say, must protect consumers from monopolies by enforcing anti-trust laws, and must protect the consumer’s right to see the price of care before they receive it.

For private care, they recommend; 1) portable health insurances, 2) an affordable, consumerized price-transparent system, 3) a stable method of paying fo the most expensive medical procedures; 4) non-insurance methods to cut costs of care and to improve outcomes.

Throughout the first two books, the authors maintain costs will come down dramatically if : one, before receiving care, consumers ask: How much does this cost?, two, if consumers pay more of their own money upfront, in the form of a higher co-pay or higher deductibles. The most logical way to do this on the private side is through Health Savings Accounts, already owned by more tha 10 million Americans.