The health of nations

摘要

His financial empire made him the equal of kings, his fortune was the envy of the merely rich. But in the summer of 1836, Nathan Rothschild was dying of an abscess leading to blood-poisoning, and all his wealth was to no avail.Today, a dose of antibiotics, costing a few coins, would have saved the 59-year-old banker. What would he have been willing to pay for that prescription? To the seriously sick, effective medical care is priceless. But not everyone who goes to the doctor is gravely ill, nor is all health care effective. Yet someone has to foot the bill, whether or not the health care works or is really needed. Individuals' demand for medical care is potentially boundless, but the collective systems that fund most health care must impose limits. That contradiction is a growing problem for rich countries as costs spiral upwards.