Gratzer (senior fellow, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research) argues that the American health care system is broken and traces the roots of the problem back to the beginnings of employer-sponsored health care in the 1940s. He also criticizes the creation of Medicare and Medicaid and government efforts at cost control through the creation of HMOs, arguing that both rob patients of choice, "flouting the laws of basic economics." He further attacks current approaches towards insuring the uninsured (who he argues aren't actually as numerous as most think), describes Medicare as on the brink of disaster, and complains about he demonization of a pharmaceutical industry unfairly burdened by high drug development costs. Finally, he sets out his own market-based alternative, based on individual purchase of health insurance, limiting the Federal Drug Administration's mission to judging drug safety, and creating health savings accounts, and other reforms. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)