Dr. Altman's Decision

With health care insurance expected to jump 10 percent or more for the sixth consecutive year, there's renewed interest in the reasons why. Studies point to the factors: money wasted on errors and duplication, rising salaries, and more people using more medications and expensive procedures.

Few Americans have spent as much professional time enmeshed in health care economics as Brandeis University Health Care Economist Stuart Altman. His work there is precisely what adds an ironic twist to his personal struggle over treatment choices for his sick mother. WBUR's Martha Bebinger has the Altmans' story.