Root issue of healthcare costs remain unaddressed

In light of the passage of the American Health Care Act in the House of Representatives, there has been substantial outcry regarding the anticipated effects on people with pre-existing conditions and on those with lower incomes. Less commonly heard are voices (outside of politics) in support of the bill. It's interesting that The New York Times decided to publish a story representing those voices. Related to the cost of health care, Kaiser Health News published a piece on how under the version of the bill passed by the House, some states might need to dial back on patient protections in light of reduced federal subsidies.

The Affordable Care Act and the American Health Care Act try to answer questions of whether there should be patient protections and whether there should be subsidies for expensive health care. Neither legislation meaningfully address the question of whether healthcare costs can be reduced, and if so, how. The financial burden for health care can shift between government and individuals, but if the underlying growth in cost is not addressed, simply answering the question of who pays will be insufficient.