There is a lot of things wrong with the health care system in the United States - I think we can all agree on that.  What we need to do is fix the problem.  In order to fix any problem we need to identify the most damaging issues and solve them.

In the United States seven and a half cents of every dollar spent on health care is spent on administration.  In Germany and Switzerland, through computerization and other efficiencies they spend about five cents of every health care dollar on administration.  If we can reduce our administrative costs by 2.5% or two and a half cents per dollar we will save approximately $50 billion dollars annually according to Karen Davis - president of the Commonwealth Fund - a highly respected health care research group.  "It kind of dwarfs everything else you can do," she said.  As a past nurse in Utah I can attest to the layers of bureaucracy at the University of Utah of sucks up millions thatshould be spent at the bedside.

Another potential rich source of cost savings is from fraud and waste - especially in the public arena of Medicare and Medicaid.  To help address this issue President Oboma recently appointed a task force to determine the extent of health care fraud and waste and the potential savings.  It is widely accepted that health care fraud and waste totals in the billions annually. 

Another huge area of potential savings is in identifying where and who dispenses health care in this nation.  Primary practitioners are underpaid and overworked.  Specialists who provide care only in hospitals attract new physicians because they can make a lot more money being a specialist.  The care of people needs to be streamlined and orchestrated in a manner that best uses the resources while delivering excellent care.

Medical malpractice reform may not be necessary becasue it only accounts for about 1/2 cent of every dollar spend on health care in the United States.  Billions - yes - but money that is required to go to the persons and families of those injured as a result of medical malpractice.  Yes - trial attorneys who do medical malpractice work make good money but that is the system we have.

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