To paraphrase Russell Ackoff, a "problem" is the difference between what you have and what you want.  A "mess" is a system of problems.  By that, and many other, definitions, the health care system in the United States is a mess.

This past Sunday, the New York Times Magazine ran an article by Jonathan Cohn titled: "What’s the One Thing Big Business and the Left Have in Common?" This is an excellent review of the history and some of the issues in attempts to bring about some form of universal health care in the US. The key characters in the article are Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, and Steve Burd, chairman and CEO of Safeway supermarkets.

There have been several good articles on this topic.  Here's my pick of the best recent ones.

From Fortune: Creative accounting could lower health costs
"Age-adjusted earnings will force the U.S. to get real about the high cost of healthcare in one easy step."

From the Christian Science Monitor: Burdened by healthcare costs, US businesses seek a shift
"Experts say the nation will probably migrate toward hybrid solutions that blend government, employer, and individual responsibilities."

From the LA Times: Healthcare reform calls get louder
"Proposal by a coalition of big firms, unions and politicians sets broad goals to be met by 2012."

From Business Week: Get Healthy—Or Else
"Inside one company's all-out attack on medical costs"

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