Last March we published a newsletter outlining our “Obama Score” of where health care reform stood from a public policy perspective. In it, we highlighted the 6 basic principles that are going to be required to make meaningful (not incremental) changes to our health care system. Obama had done relatively well up to that point and he still carried significant public support as his Administration was still new. But we had some important “wild cards” that needed to be addressed before we felt true health care reform would become a reality.
Now, we’re at the really messy part of the process. Since March, things have moved along quickly and we are glad to see that health care reform has remained near the top of the domestic agenda. But, as expected, the other significant issues our country faces have now become part of the debate and the public support, while still there, is tenuous now that we put the dollars with the ideas. In our view, the primary principle we were concerned about in March (Mastering the Legislative Process) has become weaker instead of stronger. This single principle has killed most initiatives before, and we hope Congress (and the private markets) can come up with solutions that are good for the country as a whole, and not just continue to protect self-interests as has occurred so many times before.
We’ve posted a side-by-side comparison on our site of 11 of the major initiatives currently making their way through the health care reform debate. This was put together by the Kaiser Family Foundation and you can grab it here if you want to look at it. This will likely be changing quite frequently but we believe everyone should have a basic understanding about what is being discussed with the best information available.
Unfortunately, the public perception of health care reform has become centered on whether we have a “public option” included or not. While this is an important delivery component, the average consumer should also understand the broader need for transforming the way health care is delivered in our country before making any judgements. For those that have health care coverage, and for those that do not, we need to understand and accept that the way our health care delivery is structured is not sustainable, especially when significant numbers of our population (Baby Boomers) begin to access the model we have today.
Payment reform, transparency, administrative efficiency, clinical effectiveness, wellness/prevention, and care integration are also critical elements that need to be understood and considered by the public before making any judgments.
Whether we realize it or not, the health care market is already changing. The reform outcome will certainly have an impact on the speed in which it changes, but all stakeholders (health plans, providers, and consumers) will need to appreciate these changes for participation in the future.
We believe that access to care high-quality health care for all Americans is a critical factor of the final solution and is part of what our country stands for. We just hope the real transformation we need isn’t derailed due to the politics or economic philosophies that have proven not to apply in the health care market we have created. And, let’s make sure the general public has a good understanding of all aspects of what the debate is all about in the first place- not just what we want them to hear.
Now, we’re at the really messy part of the process. Since March, things have moved along quickly and we are glad to see that health care reform has remained near the top of the domestic agenda. But, as expected, the other significant issues our country faces have now become part of the debate and the public support, while still there, is tenuous now that we put the dollars with the ideas. In our view, the primary principle we were concerned about in March (Mastering the Legislative Process) has become weaker instead of stronger. This single principle has killed most initiatives before, and we hope Congress (and the private markets) can come up with solutions that are good for the country as a whole, and not just continue to protect self-interests as has occurred so many times before.
We’ve posted a side-by-side comparison on our site of 11 of the major initiatives currently making their way through the health care reform debate. This was put together by the Kaiser Family Foundation and you can grab it here if you want to look at it. This will likely be changing quite frequently but we believe everyone should have a basic understanding about what is being discussed with the best information available.
Unfortunately, the public perception of health care reform has become centered on whether we have a “public option” included or not. While this is an important delivery component, the average consumer should also understand the broader need for transforming the way health care is delivered in our country before making any judgements. For those that have health care coverage, and for those that do not, we need to understand and accept that the way our health care delivery is structured is not sustainable, especially when significant numbers of our population (Baby Boomers) begin to access the model we have today.
Payment reform, transparency, administrative efficiency, clinical effectiveness, wellness/prevention, and care integration are also critical elements that need to be understood and considered by the public before making any judgments.
Whether we realize it or not, the health care market is already changing. The reform outcome will certainly have an impact on the speed in which it changes, but all stakeholders (health plans, providers, and consumers) will need to appreciate these changes for participation in the future.
We believe that access to care high-quality health care for all Americans is a critical factor of the final solution and is part of what our country stands for. We just hope the real transformation we need isn’t derailed due to the politics or economic philosophies that have proven not to apply in the health care market we have created. And, let’s make sure the general public has a good understanding of all aspects of what the debate is all about in the first place- not just what we want them to hear.
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