Over the next several weeks I am going to publish several articles on the American health care system, paying particular attention to the cost of health services. I first examined this issue in 2007 when it began to bubble up in anticipation of the 2008 elections and the attempt by Democrats, ultimately successful, to make major changes in the health care system. Since that time the issue continues to be in the forefront of the national debate, first because of the anti-Obamacare theme promoted by Republicans during the 2010 elections, and now again in 2012 with the Ryan Plan for changing Medicare. Yet despite the reams of paperwork devoted to this topic, along with the prevailing assumption, shared by virtually everyone, that we are facing economic and financial Armageddon unless we rein in health costs, I am not convinced that the available data proves this argument to be true. Stay tuned and thanks for your interest in my work.