MIT Professor's Comic Book Helps Explain National Health Care Law
BOSTON (CBS) - If there's an art in tackling a complex issue and explaining in a simple way, a local man gets credit for doing that and more.
What he's created makes our health care system understandable and entertaining.
"Health care costs are rising. By 2080, health care will be 80% of our economy," said Jonathan Gruber, an MIT professor.
Gruber helped Mitt Romney put together the Massachusetts Health Care law. Then, President Barack Obama hired him as a consultant for the national law.
"When you hear the Republicans say 'your adviser helped Obama,' they are talking about me," said Gruber.
Now, he has a health care comic book called "Health Care Reform."
It's a sketched out story of four people: Anthony, Betty, Carlos, and Dina. Some of them have health insurance and some do not. All of them, though, are dealing with the costs of a heart attack.
In 140 pages of speech balloons, the comic explains a law that was more than 1,000 pages long.
"A lot of what economics is, a lot of what my profession is... is to parsimoniously explain subjects. That's a lot of what we do," said Gruber.
Unlike a comic book, the issue of health care is not black and white. In fact, Gruber's critics say he is a little too complimentary of the law in this book.
"I think this book has a point of view. I support the Affordable Care Act. I believe in it," said Gruber.
Not to spoil the ending, but the final page does not have a repeal of the law. Gruber would never draw it up that way.
