The Covid-19 epidemic response has shown that the U.S. is blessed with heroic physicians and other health care providers, researchers, and facilities. But it has also revealed a health care system that was woefully unprepared for the surge of pandemic patients. In the authors’ analysis, the primary blame rests on a hospital and insurance financial model geared towards providing high-priced services rather than meeting all demands for care, including pandemics. Then they outline a plan for creating a hospital sector that can better respond to the population’s health needs during a time of crisis.

Employers’ and employees’ health care costs continue to skyrocket. A solution is to allow employers to give employees pre-tax cash to purchase their own health insurance. This move, enabled by a newly enacted federal rule, would put competitive pressure on insurers, driving down costs, and leave more cash in employees’ pockets.

If you didn’t know it before, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided the starkest possible confirmation that fixing healthcare is the number one issue facing the nation. The American people agree. Unfortunately, leaders of both parties believe the deep gulfs between the Democrats’ offer of expansion of publicly managed coverage and the Republicans’ options for cost controls and freedom of choice are irreconcilable.

A few days ago we celebrated Valentine’s day, a good time to reflect that love springs everywhere, even at work. After all, love in the workplace is inevitable; but be forewarned. It does not always turn out well.

The United States needs to control healthcare costs and quality while reaching universal coverage. The strongest choice is a public option that allows people to choose between Medicare and private payers. But a public option needs sustainable financing mechanisms that allow fair competition with private insurers.