|
|
Healthcare
reform: consumers lead the way
Healthcare reform: consumers lead the way:
HFMA's employee health insurance costs jumped more
than 20 percent in 2004 from the 2003 level. As
HFMA's CEO, I had to make difficult decisions regarding
benefits, employee cost sharing, and insurance carriers.
I don't like being put into that position--attempting
to balance what is best for HFMA's 80 employees
versus what is best for HFMA the organization. |
And
I'm not alone. I recently attended a lunch with
Henry Clay Ford, Jr., chairman and CEO of Ford Motor
Company.
He said the most important challenge facing
Ford's leadership is not Toyota or GM or DaimlerChrysler,
but the cost of health insurance. I am sure Ford
would rather focus on competition than on health
benefits.
So what is the answer? Should Americans embrace
the notion of government-controlled health delivery
and financing such as in the United Kingdom, or
a single payer system such as that in Canada?
Should
government dictate benefits, eligibility, and services
to be offered? Given our experience with and distrust
of government-run programs, it is unlikely Americans
would support such a response.The solution may rest
with all of us.
Regina Herzlinger writes in her article "Consumer-Driven
Health Care: Freeing Providers to Innovate"
in this issue of hfm: Under CDHC [consumer-driven
health care], providers can freely create and price
their services and consumers can freely choose them.
CDHC not only enables suppliers to innovate but
also enables consumers to choose the services that
best meet their needs. Herzlinger notes that the
original Henry Ford would not have innovated the
production of inexpensive cars if government dictated
the price to be paid, options to be offered, and
methods of distribution...
|
|
