October 9, 2009

More Is Less

An hour explaining the American health care system, specifically, why it is that costs keep rising. One story looks at the doctors, one at the patients and one at the insurance industry.

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Transcript

This show was a co-production with NPR News, and was one of two shows we did on health care: The other is Someone Else's Money.

Prologue

Former Bush Administration official David Frum explains a very surprising fact about Bush's economic failure, as it relates to health care. Frum is a regular contributor to the radio show Marketplace. (5 minutes)

By

David Frum

Act One

Dartmouth Atlas Shrugged

Are doctors to blame for the rising costs? NPR Science Correspondent Alix Spiegel reports on the shocking results of studies about varied health care spending. Hear more health care stories this week from Alix at npr.org. (18 minutes)

By

Alix Spiegel

Act Two

Every Cat Scan Has Nine Lives

Or is the problem the patients? Producer Lisa Pollak reports. (13 minutes)

By

Lisa Pollak

Act Three

Who Would Win In A Fight Between A Polar Bear And An Insurance Company?

Or maybe the insurance companies are to blame? Producer Sarah Koenig reports. (13 minutes )

By

Sarah Koenig

Act Four

Now What?

Host Ira Glass talks with Susan Dentzer, editor of the journal Health Affairs, about what current health reform proposals do to fix the rising costs of healthcare...And points at a surprising, kind of heartening phenomenon happening within the current debate. (6 minutes)

By

Ira Glass

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