Healthcare Letter

February13th

2 Comments

And the answer is….

Posted in: Articles

I have waited to write wondering what would be the course our political leaders would take post the Scott Brown-Massachusetts election and the loss of the 60-filibuster proof vote in the Senate for Democrats.


In short it is like reading tea-leaves. At this point all I can say for certain is that there will be a Healthcare Summit sponsored by the White House with an invitation to Republicans to attend and participate. Mark your calendar February 25. My guess is it will be a mixture of American Idol and Twelve Angry Men.

While our politicians pontificate and ponder, please take two minutes to watch this video and you will see why at the core of any healthcare reform needs to be the engagement of the patient/consumer if we are truly going to wrestle this cost beast to the ground. You also will get a good chuckle. That to me is priceless these days.

In the meantime I am going to offer at least a step forward. Stay tuned.

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2 Comments

  • Comment by alain enthoven — February 13, 2010 @ 7:26 pm

    Engagement of the cost conscious consumer is necessary, but there is not much the very sick patient (where most of the money is being spent) can do to question individual items or services of care.This is especially true in a fee for service environment where not even the providers know or care what things cost. What is needed is for consumers to have and make informed cost conscious choices of delivery system. In the few cases in which consumers have such choices, overwhelmingly, they choose comparatively efficient delivery systems. Take Madison Wisconsin, for example, where several excellent delivery systems compete to attract and serve state employees. Medical care is a team sport, and there is a great deal that an appropriately motivated team can do to improve quality and reduce cost

  • Comment by Dan Smith — February 15, 2010 @ 11:53 pm

    Oakleigh – I just came across a blog that is a “MUST-READ” for anyone interested in bending the healthcare cost cure. It is so good that it is going to create a stir in the healthcare blog community. I encourage all interested in this subject to read this blog article.

    The blog is called: THE HEALTH CARE BLOG
    The topic date is : FEBRUARY 14, 2010
    The topic title is: HOW MARYLAND “ BROKE THE CURVE”: A SOLUTION FOR
    MASSACHUSETTS?

    The URL is : http://www.thehealthcareblog.com

    This solution would work in any state with the will to tackle healthcare costs. But I’m afraid some states would be willing to go broke before they would embrace such a solution. “Pride precedeth a fall.”

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