Health care reform in the USA

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHgrHkW_rbLI

The Obama Administration wants to offer a government-backed insurance program to compete with private insurance. The aim is to extend coverage to all Americans and bring down cost.

This may take the form of a national cooperative, owned by the policyholders. It has to be national-based, rather than state-based, so that it can have an efficient size.

Another proposal is to remove the restriction on using cost-effectiveness studies to pick which drugs and medical devices Medicare funds for the elderly and disabled. Supporters like evidence-based research to be used to make decisions to figure out what strategies work, then have incentives to use the best possible -- not only lowest cost, but most effective -- treatment protocol. This would result in significant savings.

The opponents argues along with other Republican opponents that such comparative effectiveness research would be use to ration care.

The final bill being discussed in Congress will include some kind of nonprofit entity to compete with private insurers, whether a co-op or government- run program. This will encourage competition and private insurers may not make as much money as they’re making currently.

Tan Kin Lian