Commonwealth Fund Issues Roadmap for Health Insurance Reform
A new report issued by the Commonwealth Fund describes potential strategies to implement programs that will provide health insurance for all Americans. The organization suggests that providing health insurance for all is a key step necessary to improve access to quality healthcare across the nation. Also noted in the report is the opportunity to create a high performance U.S. healthcare system through this effort.
A Roadmap to Health Insurance for All: Principles for Reform was prepared for the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System. The report describes the variety of approaches to increase the number of persons with health insurance. As well, implications of each option on key facets of the overall system; efficiency, quality, and means to control costs, are also detailed.
Three different approaches to broaden health insurance are examined: (1) the individual insurance market and tax incentives, (2) mixed private-public group insurance with shared responsibility for system financing, and (3) public insurance proposals. Each of these approaches is grounded in a distinct paradigm, detailed in the report. In addition, key principles that should guide the process of modifying the system are detailed, providing tools to help the public assess proposals from policymakers and politicians.
In the report, the Commonwealth Fund endorses an approach that mixes public and private health insurance because of the opportunity to insure the most people. As well, this approach is most likely to easily link with current programs, causing the least disruption to the current system. In particular, individuals who obtain health insurance through employer-sponsored programs would be able to maintain that coverage. A private-public mix builds on the existing strengths of the U.S. healthcare system while providing opportunities to improve the current areas of weakness.
Along with advocating the means to achieve broadened health insurance, the report details failures in the existing U.S. healthcare system. Particularly noted were challenges with respect to efficiency, equity, quality, and cost control. These facets are noted as underlying reasons motivating the need to change the system.
October 25, 2007 Related topics: Trends, Partnerships & Consortia, Industry & Market