To me, this is exhibit A for why we have to pursue health care reform sooner rather than later. To solve the problem and create a sustainable health care system for the future, we need to unpack the sources of the increases. I heard a statistic once (hope it’s right!) that in the 1950s, we spent $500 on health care per person per year. Now we spend $5,000. Adjusted for inflation? I don’t know. But think about it: all the new procedures, treatments, prescriptions.

Rationing is a dirty word in health care, but look at that graph and tell me how we crack this nut without applying an 80/20 mentality to what we fund and what we don’t.