USA Today reports that health spending increased 8.7% in 2001. That is the biggest jump since the previous Bush administration.

Most notably, private sector HMOs have failed to keep health care prices in check. Prescription drug costs are up, hospital costs are up, and of course health care insurance premiums are up. This is proof positive that price controls are needed.

Insurance premiums should be frozen at their 2001 or 2000 levels. If we cannot keep insurers from cashing in on our aging seniors, than the federal government needs to step up and do something.

Price controls are only the beginning. They should also do something for the millions of people that cannot afford insurance. Studies show that poor people are more likely to be sick. Being poor, they often don't have any health insurance, and are faced with some tough decisions. Since getting medical care is expensive and could take food out of their mouths, most simply ignore their ailments. Seniors who rely heavily on expensive prescription drugs are often faced with similar decisions.

A nationalized system would provide health care for all persons, regardless of their ability to pay. When people arrive at the hospital, they will no longer have to fill out lengthy credit checks, proving that they can cough up big bucks before being treated.

There are some sad statistics:

A large percentage of the US population goes without insurance because of the need for profits. US Census Bureau statistics show that 24.3% of people with incomes less than $25,000 went without insurance during some portion of 1996. 15.4% of the total US population went without insurance for all of 1995. Millions of people are unable to get medical care unless they pay out-of-pocket, again leading to poverty.

Health care is a basic human right, and big drug companies, hospitals, and insurers cashing in on the downtrodden is unconscionable.