Health Affairs Blogging

Later today I'm going to blog Health Care Reform: What? What? When? by Victory Fuchs and Ezekiel Emanuel. The article dissects three approaches to health reform: individual mandates, single payer, and universal vouchers. But the abstract makes no secret about the authors' belief for the chances for reform:

Over the long term, reform is likely to come in response to a major war, depression, or large-scale civil unrest.

So... you guys are like, optimists, right? You expect big changes tomorrow, I can tell. Um...yeah.

Comments

[Martin]

In response to your last question... it might depend on what is interpreted as an economic crisis. I would argue, and I think some of the other contributors to the December issue of Health Affaris would agree, that the looming risk of bankruptcy of some of America's flagship corporations--Ford, GM--due to health and pension issues and the declining competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing plants--also because of the health issue (and unions)--will bring the Old Economy leaders to the table sooner rather than later. It is either GM or Ford, can't recall which, that has said that they would rather build a plant in Canada than in the U.S., despite the higher taxes, because the health insurance costs in the U.S.--which are a type of tax--exceed the difference in government taxes between Canada and the U.S. These are the sorts of things that proponents of universal or some other broad-based, non-employer mandated health insurance scheme need to be pouncing on. There is no reason not to have Bill Ford leading a national discussion on health care reform. Similarly with the CEO of GM.

One point that Fuchs and Emanual hit on that I would like to see you discuss are implications of the move away from cross-subsidies.

[Kate]

Martin, good to see you're stil coming by. It was Toyota that decided to go to Canada. I will try to comment on cross-subsidies when I get more into the article.

[Josh]

Hey, you have a great blog here! I'm definitely going to bookmark you!

I have a Insurance Health Guide site. It pretty much covers health insurance and related topics.

Come and check it out if you get time ;)