Health Care Reform

[michaelainslie]

We are heading into a “Perfect Storm’ in health care. Just as the original perfect storm was 3 storms coming together to raise havoc, these three conflicting storms are happening in Health Care. I believe we need to get our collective wisdom on board to start developing solutions to these problems. While many may disagree with my definition of these problems, I’m more interested in beginning discussion on solutions. While you may lament or cheer the demise of Obamacare, the problems are still here. As with the “Perfect Storm” these problems are becoming interrelated.
These 3 problems are:
1. Insurance – whether Health Care is financed by the Government – state or federal or through private companies, the problems with this are many.
a. Costs. Both the government plans and private are prohibitively expensive. We have become used to talking in trillions of dollars. These astronomical figures are unsustainable. How to bend the cost curve is critical.
b. Command and control. Since most coverage is first dollar coverage, these insurances control what is covered or not. How to change this is the question.
c. Patients. As below in problem 3 how do we involve patients in these insurance problems. Whether they pay directly, indirectly – through payroll benefits, or through taxes, patients are ultimately responsible for these costs.
2. Physicians – we are part of the problem and need to be part of the solution. Quality of care and patient safety needs to improve. We need to define and price value for our patients. We need to continue to innovate to improve patient outcomes. How do we finance all this? How do we price value? We need to look at the reasons and solutions for the tremendous costs in training our replacements. Are there other options beside physicians to harness the solutions to the cost and care problems?
3. Patients- while many may view Health Care as a right, or a service, how do we involve patients in this discussion? They seem to want everything covered for free, but of course that is not possible or reasonable. How do we involve them in the previous 2 problems. I believe they are a necessary part of the solution, again how to we involve them?
Preventive medicine is the best way to bend the cost curve, how do we get the research and involvement of patients in these problems?

I hope we can begin a fruitful dialog on these problems. Innovation may pass us by if we don’t confront and try to find solutions to these problems. Whether you believe that the “free market” or “single payer” government run Health Care is the solution, we need to think about problems and benefits of both. Thanks for your time.