Medical leaders and patients talk health care
A televised summit involving both Democrats and Republicans Thursday intends to move a proposal to revamp health care closer to reality. But the problems of trying to achieve consensus at the grass roots level remain.
MPR's Kerri Miller hosted a forum in the UBS Forum on Feb. 23, which brought together medical leaders and patients to discuss health care reform.
Guests:
Robert Nesse, MD: President and CEO of Franciscan Skemp Health.
MPR-Midmorning with Kerry Miller 2/25/2010
National conference on personalized medicine to address issues in policy, law and ethics
The impact of personalized medicine on the delivery of healthcare now and in the future is the focus of a national conference being sponsored by major players in the field of law, medicine and science on March 8-9, at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix…
Personalized medicine will not be a reality without an appreciation of how to integrate the clinical components of personalized medicine within our existing health care structure and all the challenges that go along with such integration," said Katherine Hunt, an Assistant Professor of Medicine, and Coordinator of the Genetic Counseling Program at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.
ASU, 2/25/2010
TOP STORIES
Obama Bipartisan Health Summit Clears Path to Party-Line Vote
The Bloomberg Report
February 26, 2010
President Obama began yesterday’s health care summit saying he wanted to find bipartisan ways to fix the health care system. By the end of the health care summit, President Obama will pursue a partisan plan costing about $950 billion over 10 years and covering 31 million uninsured Americans.
Obama, Democrats Ponder Next Health Care Moves
Reuters
February 26, 2010
Now the White House and congressional Democrats are in the difficult position of deciding whether to force a reform of the $2.5 trillion U.S. health care system through Congress with a simple majority vote - a maneuver Republicans have condemned.
After Summit Flop, Democrats Prepare to Go It Alone on Obamacare
The Washington Examiner
February 26, 2010
With no signs of compromise from either side in President Obama's health summit, Democrats prepared a final partisan push for their massive health care plan.
The Aftermath of the Health Care Summit: Confusion, Conflict
Politico
February 26, 2010
Post summit means a democratic party looking to emerge with a clear sense of the path forward instead finding itself in the same old place – fighting the clock to finish health care, with an uncertain timeline, a complex legislative path and no idea if its leaders can muster the votes.
INSURANCE
RAND: Obama Reform Plan Would Insure 30 Million, Cost Less Than Congress Plans
HCPro
February 26, 2010
The number of uninsured Americans would be reduced by 30 million, or 56%, by 2019 under President Obama's health reform plan, about the same as in the Senate and House versions of health reform proposals, according to a new study released by RAND Health.
TRANSPARENCY/SAFETY
The New York Times - Op-Ed
February 26, 2010
The main lesson to draw from Thursday’s health care forum is that differences between Democrats and Republicans are too profound to be bridged. That means that it is up to the Democrats to fix the country’s dysfunctional and hugely costly health care system.
Differences are Clear - And That’s a Start
The Wall Street Journal - Op-Ed
February 26, 2010
In seven hours of wrangling, it was possible to discern with some clarity the three basic philosophical disagreements that keep the two sides apart; Is the goal comprehensive or incremental change?, Is access or cost the top priority?, Should government or markets set the standards?
At Summit, Republicans Prove They Aren’t Putting America’s Health First
The Washington Post - Op-Ed
February 26, 2010
The most important thing Republicans think is that if there are Americans who can't afford the insurance policies that private insurers are willing to offer, then that's their problem – there's nothing the government or the rest of us should do about it.
SCHIP
HHS Offers $100 Million to Improve Children’s Health
Healthleaders Media
February 26, 2010
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced $100 million in grants this week for health IT projects in 18 states for children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
REFORM EFFORTS
Uniting Democrats is Challenge at Health Forum
The New York Times
February 26, 2010
After more than six hours of extraordinary debate over health care policy, President Obama had not won over any of the Republicans, and he seemed to end the day largely where he started, with little choice but to try to rally his Democrats to act on their own.
Additional Coverage
President Urges Focus on Common Ground - The New York Times
Common Ground at Health Summit Stays Barren - USA Today
No Clear Winner In Seven-Hour Gab Fest - Politico
At Health Care Summit Obama Tells Republicans He’s Eager to Move Ahead - The Washington Post
Talks Suffer an Outbreak of Anecdotes
The Wall Street Journal
February 26, 2010
Thursday's health care summit revealed a new malady: call it anecdote-itis.
Health Summit Shows Divergent Views
USA Today
February 26, 2010
All day, one Republican after another urged Obama to start over on health care reform.
What Happens Next in Health Care?
Politico
February 26, 2010
After a brief period of consultation following the White House health reform summit, congressional Democrats plan to begin making the case next week for a massive, Democrats-only health care plan.
The New York Times - Op-Ed
February 26, 2010
If we’re lucky, Thursday’s summit will turn out to have been the last act in the great health reform debate, the prologue to passage of an imperfect but nonetheless history-making bill.
The New York Times - Op-Ed
February 26, 2010
Health care reform probably will not get passed this year. But there were moments, at the most wonky and specific, when the two sides echoed each other.
EMPLOYERS
The #1 Focus for Employees: Physical Health, Fiscal Health
Healthpopuli
February 26, 2010
Employees/consumers and employers have aligning in mutual self-interest when it comes to health care benefits, costs, and disease management, according to a survey sponsored jointly by Deloitte and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists.