When voters think about affordable health care, usually it means how it pertains to them. How much will it cost out of their own pocket?

The ACP’s Bob Doherty – his blog is rapidly becoming a must-read by the way – points out that the public is less concerned about health care spending as a whole, finding that only 6 percent of voters wanted the Presidential candidates to discuss “reducing the total amount the country spends on health care.”

This is entirely unsurprising. Reducing global health care spending means sacrifices that patients aren’t willing to accept, “such as restrictions on access to tests or procedures of uncertain value.”

Doherty also blames politicians who pander for votes by refusing to take serious stands supporting reduced health care spending.

The only true way to lower individual health costs is to lower the country’s spending as a whole. In many cases, this means rationing care and saying “no.”

topics: rationing, costs