Millions of Americans either lose their benefits or have them reduced every year. Most health care providers, insurance industry personnel, and employers agree that the primary reason for this devastating occurrence is increasing cost. What they do not agree on is the definition of the word "cost," Some believe one of the solutions is association health plans-the pooling of small employers to allow greater savings through mass purchase. This concept, however, creates another set of problems, and has failed more often than it has worked. Another school of thought supports national health care or state mandated coverage as the answer; big government is the final cure for everything. While national health care, or single payer, may work in socialized countries, it is not likely to work in capitalist America. Others offer no real solutions, except to debate the issue and hope the problem will fix itself.

"The Bitter Pill" was written to not only define the real problem of reduced or eliminated benefits due to increasing medical costs, but to also offer real solutions.