Dr. Atul Gawande provided a chilling description of the problems facing true health reform in his recent article in The New Yorker. In "The Cost Conundrum" he describes how medical care is provided in McAllen, Texas, which is second only to Miami as the most expensive healthcare market in...

Everyone agrees that the nation's health care system is broken. Our patchwork insurance system gives health care providers the wrong financial incentives. Meaningful reform requires a complete overhaul.

Many suggest the solution is as simple as crafting a public plan that competes with private insurers. While there are stark differences...

(Originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle)

The Obama administration's first 100 days focused largely on the nation's financial crisis. Nonetheless, this initial period includes two major health care efforts, one contained in the stimulus package, the other embedded in a policy strategy. A promising start, but the...