By Courtney Ann Jackson- Talk Radio News Service

Policy analysts are taking their cue from Massachusetts’ 2006 health care reforms. Fellows from the Cato Institute and the Heritage Foundation discussed the results of Massachusetts’ reforms Monday, contrasting the state’s health care system with the possibility of health care reform on the national scale. All said there are lessons to be learned from the state of Massachusetts and certain problems that cannot be ignored.

Michael Tanner, senior fellow of the Cato Institute said, “Massachusetts’ biggest mistake was that they made universal coverage the loadstone of their reforms. That the whole idea of whether or not this was to be a successful reform was did they get a piece of paper into everybody’s hands that said they had health insurance. They neglected the all important issue of cost containment.”

Turner said Massachusetts could have pursued more consumer involvement and deregulated their health care system. Instead, he said they chose to go with a system that imposed government controls on the individuals, the insurers, and the providers.

Turner believes these are all issues the federal government should take into consideration and learn from Massachusetts’ mistakes.

Greg Scandlen, president and CEO at Consumers for Healthcare Choices asked, “If we reform all [U.S.] health care assistance the way Massachusetts was done, what’s going to happen with all these newly insured people coming in to see a doctor?”

Scandlen brought up the issue of accommodating such a large number of insured people. He said the rate of people going to the emergency room could rise if doctors have a difficult time providing for such large additions of insured patients.

Michael Tanner, senior fellow of the Cato Institute says, “Massachusetts’ biggest mistake was that they made universal coverage the loadstone of their reforms. That the whole idea of whether or not this was to be a successful reform was did they get a piece of paper into everybody’s hands that said they had health insurance. They neglected the all important issue of cost containment.”
Tanner believes the federal government should consider problems like this before reforming the national health care system. (0:54)

 

 Standard Podcast [0:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Former President Bill Clinton says he believes the U.S. is going to have a health reform bill soon. He said if the U.S. has universal coverage we must do something to break the “cost spiral”. Otherwise, it would be too costly to continue for more than five years. (0:42)

 

 Standard Podcast [0:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Health Affairs: The Policy Journal of the Health Sphere” held a briefing on health in India and China. China faces a massive obesity epidemic and problems with insurance coverage. India is confronting AIDS. And, both China and India have aging populations. (more…)

Aetna CEO Ron Williams says that insurance works best when healthy people support the sick in anticipation of being sick one day themselves. Williams adds that an individual coverage requirement would not only insure everyone but that it would also prevent uninsured people from driving up the cost of insurance when they suddenly find themselves in need of care. (1:02)

 

 Standard Podcast [1:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download