I strongly recommend T.R. Reid's book , The HEaling of America (subtitled something like the Global Search for Healthcare). He looks at a variety of models around the world -- none of which depend on for-profit insurance companies to finance medical care, many of which provide better health outcomes than does our system.

It seems to me that the major problem with the Healthcare "reform" that was passed is that it did too little, kept for-profit health care insurance in place, did not try to seriously revamp delivery or payment system, but simply tinkered around the edges.  I know many of us felt, "better something than nothing." I wish that reform-proponents, and Obama, had not allowed "the public option" to become the "extreme" position during the debate--that a single-payor system had been a serious alternative, and that healthcare reform itself had taken primacy over the too-idealistic-goal of a "bipartisan" achievement that might change the culture in Washington. Not that lowering the partisanship isn't a worthy goal--it is; only that health care should not have been seen as a route to get there.

 I, for one, see little hope for a changed climate unless and until we change the money-campaign-lobbying gridlock. If we need a Constitutional Amendment to do so, I would support one.

Elaine D. Ingulli
Professor of Business Law,
Richard Stockton College of NJ
________________________________________
From: Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Allison Burdette [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2010 9:51 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Not Lies - Distortions and lies about health care reform

As a nation becomes more prosperous and as more people are covered by health insurance and so have access to health care, of course health care costs increase.  This reflects a society which has moved way beyond hunter/gatherer status and now understands that having a healthy, long life is worth more than anything!  With greater prosperity more and more people want to have their teeth straight (try to get a great job in this culture with messed up teeth!), their acne cleared up (very important to a teenage child!), their asthma treated, their high cholesterol lowered, their ADHD fixed, etc..  This is not negative; this is positive.  We need to see this as economic expansion just like any other expansion.  Of course, how and what to pay for is a different question and causes the problems.  What should be shared by all versus what should be borne by the individual alone.
While I know that we must work to deliver medicine better and more cheaply.  Perhaps many more nurse practitioners for everyday ailments and more self-help or pharmacy help (really cool how France does this) for smaller ailments (fewer trips to the doctor for simple things!).  But in the end, as a society and people expect and seek a better life for themselves and their family, I expect that health care costs will go up.  I do not claim to understand all of the details of the healthcare law.  I doubt anyone does!  I do find it puzzling why it is called Obamacare in that I am very sure it was passed by Congress and not by executive order.  I do know that I believe strongly the basic tenet behind it is correct in that healthcare should not be reserved for the well-to-do.  At least my Christian ethic biases me in this direction.  Who am I to say that I deserve healthcare while someone poor does not.  But clearly this reflects my biased value system, which many others do not share, and I accept that.  Perhaps they are correct and some people are more deserving than others.
This is an interesting discussion and I hope that my response has been measured and not offensive.
Allison Burdette
Goizueta Business School


"Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk"              <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> writes:
Bill - Health insurance COSTS are the major problem. Obamacare increased the cost of healthcare, not lowered it. By increasing the "no deductible" requirements and eliminating pre-existing condition exclusions, the Democrats made it look like they were doing something for the public, but since there were NO CAPS on the cost of healthcare, the costs are skyrocketing before our eyes. I am in contact with numerous businesses and insurance agents. They are unable to predict how much healthcare costs will increase for 2011, but look for minimum increases of 20% after staggering increases this year. The one thing that appeared to help was a program to help those with serious pre-existing conditions, but the people have to be uninsured for 6 months to qualify and there is still NO LIMIT on how much premium they have to pay. How on earth can you blame Republicans for this insanity?



-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Shaw <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sun, Oct 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Subject: Distortions and lies about health care reform



Health Care and the Campaign<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/opinion/24sun1.html?th&emc=th>
Republicans and special interests are spreading so many distortions and lies about health care reform that it is little wonder if voters are anxious and confused.

This is the kind of thing that may result in a Republican Congress . . . how soon they forget.