Paul’s bad cure

Sen. Rand Paul, writing in the Herald-Leader, championed the free market to give us the best health care at the lowest price.

In fact, the free-market system has largely failed to provide either the best care or the cheapest price. Americans pay, by far, the most for health care of any industrialized country — roughly double the cost in Canada, Germany or France.

But this exorbitant price has not bought us the best health. Our life expectancy is the lowest of all OECD nations. The maternal death rate in the U.S. has steadily risen to 18 deaths per 100, 000 women, triple that in the United Kingdom.

We also pay more for the same drugs and devices available in other countries which use a more centralized, government-run health care system.

The cure Paul, a doctor, has prescribed is overpriced and not working.

This story was originally published October 31, 2016 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Paul’s bad cure."