Comments on: Oberlander: Health Reform Likely To Depend On (Budget) Reconciliation http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2009/03/30/oberlander-health-reform-likely-to-depend-on-budget-reconciliation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=oberlander-health-reform-likely-to-depend-on-budget-reconciliation The Policy Journal of the Health Sphere Thu, 24 May 2012 07:58:29 +0000 hourly 1 By: jackshoemaker http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2009/03/30/oberlander-health-reform-likely-to-depend-on-budget-reconciliation/comment-page-1/#comment-25191 jackshoemaker Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:55:07 +0000 http://healthaffairs.org/blog/?p=724#comment-25191 Using reconciliation to pass this legislation is a terrible idea. Meaningful health-care reform is a complex issue with many constituencies and points of view that must be considered in order to get to a lasting and workable resolution. I am sure the author is just itching to get some legislation passed now that the opportunity presents itself. But surely that would be a Cadmean victory at best. If you don't get the "bad guys" - insurers, pharma, etc. - on board with the solution, it will never work properly. Using reconciliation to pass this legislation is a terrible idea. Meaningful health-care reform is a complex issue with many constituencies and points of view that must be considered in order to get to a lasting and workable resolution. I am sure the author is just itching to get some legislation passed now that the opportunity presents itself. But surely that would be a Cadmean victory at best. If you don’t get the “bad guys” – insurers, pharma, etc. – on board with the solution, it will never work properly.

]]> By: Oberlander: Health Reform Likely To Depend On (Budget) Reconciliation / Health Affairs Blog « Eclectic Buzz Blog http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2009/03/30/oberlander-health-reform-likely-to-depend-on-budget-reconciliation/comment-page-1/#comment-25098 Oberlander: Health Reform Likely To Depend On (Budget) Reconciliation / Health Affairs Blog « Eclectic Buzz Blog Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:03:02 +0000 http://healthaffairs.org/blog/?p=724#comment-25098 [...] via Health Affairs Blog. [...] [...] via Health Affairs Blog. [...]

]]> By: Wonk Room » The WonkLine: March 31, 2009 http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2009/03/30/oberlander-health-reform-likely-to-depend-on-budget-reconciliation/comment-page-1/#comment-25095 Wonk Room » The WonkLine: March 31, 2009 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:02:58 +0000 http://healthaffairs.org/blog/?p=724#comment-25095 [...] Speaking with the Health Affairs Blog, Jonathan Oberlander speculated that “whether comprehensive health reform passes this year is likely to depend on whether Senate Democrats are willing to use the so-called ‘budget reconciliation process‘.” [...] [...] Speaking with the Health Affairs Blog, Jonathan Oberlander speculated that “whether comprehensive health reform passes this year is likely to depend on whether Senate Democrats are willing to use the so-called ‘budget reconciliation process‘.” [...]

]]> By: Don McCanne http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2009/03/30/oberlander-health-reform-likely-to-depend-on-budget-reconciliation/comment-page-1/#comment-25087 Don McCanne Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:08:52 +0000 http://healthaffairs.org/blog/?p=724#comment-25087 Jonathan Oberlander has an established track record as an astute observer of the political scene in health care reform. His observation that many of the agreements amongst the various stakeholders have been limited to noncontroversial general principles has been confirmed by the report just released by the Health Reform Dialogue. The major stakeholders involved dodged all of the important policy proposals. Those of us who support an efficient public financing program that would cover everyone while slowing cost escalation have already been disappointed since we were excluded before the process began. But if we continue down our current path during this rare opportunity for reform, almost everyone is going to be disappointed since effective policies will be blocked, and we'll end up with only a few tweaks to our dysfunctional multi-payer system that is exorbitantly expensive and serves us so poorly. If we truly wanted an affordable high-performance system that served everyone well, the policies that we would choose are easy. But as Professor Oberlander reminds us, the politics are almost impossible. That's not just sad; that's tragic. Jonathan Oberlander has an established track record as an astute observer of the political scene in health care reform. His observation that many of the agreements amongst the various stakeholders have been limited to noncontroversial general principles has been confirmed by the report just released by the Health Reform Dialogue. The major stakeholders involved dodged all of the important policy proposals.

Those of us who support an efficient public financing program that would cover everyone while slowing cost escalation have already been disappointed since we were excluded before the process began. But if we continue down our current path during this rare opportunity for reform, almost everyone is going to be disappointed since effective policies will be blocked, and we’ll end up with only a few tweaks to our dysfunctional multi-payer system that is exorbitantly expensive and serves us so poorly.

If we truly wanted an affordable high-performance system that served everyone well, the policies that we would choose are easy. But as Professor Oberlander reminds us, the politics are almost impossible. That’s not just sad; that’s tragic.

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