Please consider this the second post dedicated to analyzing a specific health care myth in an ongoing series. The intent of this post is address the myth that we here in America should not look overseas to learn about meaningful and effective health reform. From accusing any foreign health system of being socialist or of rationing health care or even claiming that we have the best health care system in the world. The comparative focus of this post is on a single foreign system that generally fails to get significant attention – Japan. Now, by absolutely no means is the Japanese health system perfect, far from it. However, given the public bugaboo that is “socialized medicine” and the nature of our employer sponsored health care Japan presents an interesting study in how a private-employer based health care system can run efficiently and cut costs.

People opposed to health care reform argue that government-run health care will include health care rationing. The truth is, we have care rationing going on right now, today. Health care companies, under pressure to please stockholders, must reduce the amount claims they approve. It's called a "medical loss ratio" and health care companies are pressured to lower this 'loss' quarter after quarter.