Health Reform’s Time Has Come

Commonwealth survey says chances for true reform are goodWhen it comes to reforming the U.S. healthcare system, we have a history of all talk, no action. Mostly, patients have been ambivalent about change, while many health care professionals have opposed it because they see the risks (including those to their pocketbooks) far exceeding the benefits. […]

Seek to Become, Not to Acquire

Today’s doctors need to do more than just ‘walk the walk’. They must look and speak as professionals to gain patient trust. Every year a new group of college graduates assemble in medical school auditoriums across the United States to begin their four year metamorphoses. A short “White Coat Ceremony” serves as a transitional introduction […]

Chastened and More Sober, Harry and Louise Return

New coalition urges health care reform with a clever ad, but, not surprisingly, they all understand reform differentlyYesterday Ron Pollack of Families USA led a call with bloggers – unfortunately, I couldn’t be on it – to discuss a new health care reform campaign sponsored by 5 prominent organizations: the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action […]

Are You Seeing Less of Your Doctor?

As the economy declines, so do visits to the doctor’s office When the economy is in decline, families are forced to make difficult decisions. With high uninsurance rates in health care, and increasing deductibles and co-pays for those who are insured, it’s not surprising that we are now witnessing a decline in doctors’ visits linked […]

Is America’s Health Care System Failing?

If so, why? The U.S. continues to have the highest cost per capita – twice what other major industrialized countries spend – for health care, and has dropped to last among 19 countries on a measure of mortality amenable to medical care. So reports the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System in […]

Is Meaningful Health Care (Or Any Other Kind Of) Reform Possible?

Congress’ money-for-policy system will prevent health care reform Those who wait, ever hopefully, for real health reform might want to take a deep breath and take stock of a few realities. First, think about the fact that when the Democrats retook Congress, they tweaked but did not fundamentally change the lobbying rules that trade money […]

Eight Days: A Health Care Diary

Thought-provoking commentary from blogger Michael Millenson Health Commentary guest blogger Michael Millenson has been on the road recently, covering health care events around the country. His summaries, posted at the Health Affairs Blog July 10, capture very well some of the key issues we face in trying to sort out our health care system problems. Read on… EIGHT […]

« go back — keep looking »