Health Care Cooperatives- We're Missing the Point

We shouldn't have been surprised.

The primary focus of the health care debate is now centered on what level of government involvement is justified to deliver health care in our country. It's the same debate we've been having for the past 100 years.

While the lines-in-the-sand are now very visible, Senator Kent Conrad, D. ND; Chair of the Senate Budget Committee threw out a new idea to try "bridge the gap"(chasm) that has evolved between the two sides of the health care public policy debate. His effort was obviously a compromise in an attempt to make certain the reform efforts continue to move forward.

On the one side we have those in support of a "public option" that is supposedly built on the principles of improving availability, improving quality and efficiency, and challenging provider consolidation (read driving down prices). On the other hand we have those that feel any (and I mean any) involvement by the government is on the road to single payer/socialized medicine.

Neither side is willing to move- and we believe both sides could use some real bi-partisan compromise in their positions.

Conrad's idea is based on the concept that instead of a national public option, states could set up independent "cooperatives"; non-profit entities owned by their members to deliver health care services to the community or population. The idea was based on his personal experience with cooperatives in his home state of North Dakota, and was one idea submitted to bridge the gap that exists today. It's generated a lot of discussion in the political camps- and Chuck Grassley (R, Ia) has indicated some intrigue with the idea as a public option is out of the question and a show-stopper from his perspective.

Unfortunately, we're missing the point again. Our health care system is in the mess it is in because of the way it is organized and paid-for. It has evolved into a fragmented mess and until there is some level of organization and collaboration between doctors, hospitals, health plans, and yes, our political leaders, its going to continue to be a fragmented mess that costs a lot of money.

There are many economic arguments against introducing 50 new health care cooperatives into a landscape that is already fragmented. There are many social arguments against introducing a broad-based public option into the health care market. And, there are many more economic and social arguments against leaving the system alone and let it continue to operate the way it is today.

The debate should not deteriorate (as it has done before) into health plans vs. the world, doctors vs. the world, or government vs. everyone else. We cannot let this deteriorate into a public relations message with the winner being whoever has the most money- or screams the loudest. This is a social issue that needs to be resolved for the good of our economy and the legacies we will leave our children. The discussion should be about what is best for the American people. And, the outcome should a solution- not a compromise based upon political strategies.

Get with it guys and gals. You may only have one shot at this. Let's do it right.