If the "individual mandate" that Krauthammer describes would do the trick, that would be wonderful. (Easy for me to say--I'm not one of the 18 million Americans who would have to pay premiums to support me!) Maybe if we add in some tort reform, some taxes on the wealthiest among us, and some sort of government-mandated record-keeping and insurance claim simplification, we could get there from here.

I was a little disappointed in Krauthammer's use of the phrase "transfer of wealth" again. He's right, of course. To substantially reduce the cost of healthcare in the U.S. in order to avoid the system from breaking our economy worse than it is now, of course there will have to be a transfer of wealth. It might be means testing for benefits, increased taxes on some, mandated insurance on those who don't want it or need it, forced reductions in payments for service--lots of things from among a list of things that would either increase out-of-pocket costs for some, or substantial elimination of benefits while keeping the premium payments at a high level. Either way, wealth will be transferred. But I see little to be gained by continually trying to inflame citizens by continually using the phrase.