Comments on: Should Obama Pursue Comprehensive Reform? http://blog.hcfama.org/2008/09/29/should-obama-pursue-comprehensive-reform/ The Ultimate Massachusetts Health Care Insider Information Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:46:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: ? http://blog.hcfama.org/2008/09/29/should-obama-pursue-comprehensive-reform/#comment-2021 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:56:25 +0000 http://blog.hcfama.org/?p=1886#comment-2021 Did Obama talk about giving up…

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/09/update-fannie-mae-and-freddie.html ?

How about Kerry, four years ago?

]]> By: Michael D. Miller, MD http://blog.hcfama.org/2008/09/29/should-obama-pursue-comprehensive-reform/#comment-2020 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:28:45 +0000 http://blog.hcfama.org/?p=1886#comment-2020 Watching the debate I had the same thoughts. The challenge is how to do “non-comprehensive” reform that sets the stage for future comprehensiveness later. This is one reason that Sen. Obama has not proposed everything possible in his health reform package, but rather has prioritized coverage for children and other practical and valuable initiatives. In fact, his national exchange has similarities to the MA Connector. The rubber-on-the-road challenge starting in January 2009 will be fiscal. That is, how much will the financial system bailout and Iraq/Afghanistan funding eat into our ability to expand coverage?

Since many experts agree that creating a system with near universal insurance coverage is the best first step towards constructive cost control – versus Sen. McCain’s proposal which places cost control as his first and major priority – deciding how to spend limited funds to expand coverage and make quality/efficiency improvements to our healthcare system will be the challenge for the next President and Congress. I believe they will be up to the challenge – although the road to consensus will likely not be any smoother than reaching agreement on the current financial system “bailout” bill.

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