•July 22, 2015•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

The overtime budget battles going on right now in Illinois and many other states are largely caused by relentless increases in health care costs that for decades have been growing faster than the tax revenues to pay for them. And it is only going to get worse, as the Baby Boom Generation moves into old age, where they will devour health care.
As a child in about 1950, I recall coming home from grade school with a flyer that encouraged my parents to buy health insurance for me at $1 per month from a new company called Blue Cross. Back then, few had coverage, and the cost to society of health care was modest.
But all that has changed, dramatically. For example, where is the commercial growth in your nearest city? At the hospitals, I will bet, which are also often the largest employers in town. And what occupations do you encourage your children and grandchildren to enter? Again, health care, I’ll wager, as that’s where the jobs are.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.