Market Driven Health Care Reform

Health care reform that addresses cost, quality, and access will not happen from the top down given the results of the Massachusetts election, the Supreme Court ruling that allows unlimited spending on political campaigns, and the broad based distrust in government as pointed out by David Brooks in the NY Times. I foresee that we will continue on the path of more out-of-pocket spending by those who can afford to pay, federally funded community health centers, charitable organizations, and emergency room backup for those who cannot afford to pay and major growth in medical travel. We are backing into a consumer driven system that will rely on competition among providers, both domestic and foreign, to control costs.

We will continue to tolerate the physical and financial suffering of a minority of the American population to support the success of the health care industry as long as the minority remains at the 15 to 20 percent level.

Bottom line, it is highly unlikely that any direction and leadership will come from Washington. We probably have a better shot for patch work reform on a state by state basis.