Key Points:
Americans control a smaller share of our health spending than do residents of most other developed countries.
In the late 1980s, the United States allowed patients to control more health spending than any other country, except Switzerland.
In the twenty years to 2008, the share of U.S. health spending controlled directly by patients dropped by almost half.
Reforms enacted during those two decades, such as Health Savings Accounts, did not result in reducing dependency on government and health insurers.
After Obamacare is defeated, reversing his long-term trend must be the top priority of the real health reform that replaces it.
