I’m going to start this column by saying that at the age of 69 I’ve been fortunate to be relatively healthy most of my life, and I’ve only had the need to interact with the American health care system for routine maintenance. You know, colonoscopies, bee stings (I’m allergic), dental visits and checkups. Oh, and once when I was a kid I broke my leg.

Other than that, I’ve never spent a night in a hospital.

Then I had a stroke, and saw up close and personal what goes on inside the industry that costs around $5.3 trillion a year to operate. By the way, that breaks down to $15,497 per person (little kids included).

I will say right off that a lot went on from the moment I hit the emergency room until the time I was wheeled out to go home, and I knew it wouldn’t be........

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