Healthcare

I've hesitated blogging on the healthcare bill. It's complicated and difficult to understand. There was never any doubt from the beginning, that having the government run any aspect of healthcare would be a disaster. But I waited for a informed respected non partisan voice to illustrate why. I found that at the the Health Policy blog at Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center:


Although there are some positive provisions in the current House Tri-Committee bill – including insurance for all and payment reform demonstration projects – the proposed legislation misses the opportunity to help create higher-quality, more affordable health care for patients. In fact, it will do the opposite.

In general, the proposals under discussion are not patient focused or results oriented. Lawmakers have failed to use a fundamental lever – a change in Medicare payment policy – to help drive necessary improvements in American health care. Unless legislators create payment systems that pay for good patient results at reasonable costs, the promise of transformation in American health care will wither. The real losers will be the citizens of the United States.

For a more partisan, but informative view, go here.