Samuelson goes on to observe:

Government can't cut health spending, so new spending reduces spending on other programs, raises taxes or bloats deficits. The effects are felt keenly by middle-income Americans and the poor, because the high cost of modern medicine consumes more of their incomes. We have created a monster, inspired by good intentions, that is slowly and menacingly taking charge of our future.

Unfortunately, Samuelson doesn't wrap up his article with the obvious conclusion: that the only possible solution to America's healthcare crisis lies with repealing Medicare and Medicaid and, in a larger context, ending all governmental involvement in healthcare.