In the US the health care cost since 95 went from 13.1 to 17.1 while in Germany they went from 9.4. to 11.3. It is actually way worse than the article tells if

In the US the health care cost since 95 went from 13.1 to 17.1 while in Germany they went from 9.4. to 11.3. It is actually way worse than the article tells if one considers the age structure of the two countries where Germany has 21.7% over 65 vs. the US with 15.25%. The non tangible cost are also non negligible. There is friction in the job market as changing job risks incurring a potentially catastrophic coverage gap. There are bizarre industries focused on renegotiating issued medical bills, collecting those or managing the health related bankruptcies. Pricing of pharmaceutical usually generally defies the laws of gravity as the incentives of regulators, suppliers, distributors, doctors and insurers have been distorted beyond anything resembling a fair playing field. In such an environment playing games is superior than providing value and adhering to generally accepted rules. When it comes to pricing the costs of providing the service is often the least important input. Steve Balmer recently: “If you look at these tax deductions for employer-provided health [...], they’re really subsidies to the affluent, which I guess I hadn’t thought about them.” The biggest problem society faces at the moment is the vanishing middle class and lower qualified jobs that are still providing enough to subside. For the latter the cost of food, shelter, fuel and health are key. Lower the cost of living and there will be more jobs that are worth taking.