Is a paradigm shift in US healthcare reimbursement inevitable?

The fundamental goal of health care is to increase longevity and optimize physical, psychological, and social well-being at the individual, community, and society levels. An optimal healthcare system should fulfill these goals in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Although we believe that our healthcare system in the United States is going in the right direction, there is certainly room for improvement.1 In the present article, we review some of the shortcomings of the present system and offer an alternative philosophy that might facilitate a more viable and efficient approach to healthcare expenditure.