Most people would be impressed by the high quality of medicine available to most Americans. There is (1) , a great deal of attention to the individual, a vast amount of (2) , and intense effort not to make mistakes because of the (3) which doctors and hospitals must face in the courts if they (4) .
But the Americans are in a mess. The problem is the way in which health care is (5) . Contrary to public belief, it is not just a free competition system. The private system has been joined (6) , because private care was simply not looking after (7) .
But even with this huge public part of the system, which this year will eat up (8) —more than 10 per cent of the U. S. Budget— (9) are left out. These include about half the (10) unemployed and those who fail to meet (11) on income fixed by a government trying to (12) where it can.
The basic problem, however, is that there is no (13) over the health system. There is no confinement to what doctors and hospitals (14) , other than what the public is able to pay. (15) has shot up and prices have climbed. When faced with toothache, a sick child, or a (16) , all the unfortunate person concerned can do is pay up.
Two-thirds of the population are (17) . Doctors charge as much as they want, knowing that the insurance company will pay the bill. (18) in the U. S. A. is among the most worrying problems. In 2004 (19) climbed 15.9 per cent—about twice (20) .