U.S. health care still will trail if profit first

In the United States, health care is more expensive than in any other developed nation. It takes more than 15 percent of our gross domestic product, higher than any of our peer countries. Yet the World Health Organization ranked us 37th in overall health care quality.

We don't subsidize health care for all our citizens. Instead we subsidize insurance, drug and other health care industry companies. Most of these companies exist to make money. They must give first priority to increasing earnings for their investors. Providing high-quality services or products can boost profit, but poor service and products can boost it even more in a limited market with such high demand.

As long as profit remains the primary goal of health insurance, health care and pharmaceutical companies, and insuring that profit remains the primary consideration of our government, the United States will continue to trail the civilized world in quality and availability of health care.

Doug Allaire

Iowa City