The health care reform law passed last March promises to do more than enough harm to the quality and cost of U.S. health care, as well as the wallets of taxpayers and consumers, without adding its less significant indirect effects on business competitiveness to the economic toll. Many more important factors determine the competitive fates of American firms in global markets.
But for those keeping score at home, the law at best will keep the health cost curve on its previous trajectory rather than bend it any lower. It further disconnects the consumers and purchasers of health care from the full costs and real value of the health care decisions they face.
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Care Reform, Health Care, Health Care Reform, Reform
The current version of health care reform legislation is so roiled in controversy that it’s not clear it will be passed any time soon. However, if it is passed, one of its most controversial aspects – mandatory purchase of health insurance – will become law. For many people, this new requirement is considered to be a violation of their civil rights. Health insurance rates have been rising and health care spending is not expected to slow down anytime soon.
America’s current health care system is the most expensive in the world, even while millions (between 30 and 46, according to the Office of Management and Budget) of citizens have no health insurance.
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Care Reform, Health Care, Health Care Reform, Reform
The debate over health care reform continues to roil the nation, even though the recent election of Republican Senator Scott Brown has put passage of the legislation in doubt. Currently, the Senate version of the bill is idling in the House of Representatives, where Democrats are trying to decide on how best to proceed. If they pass the Senate bill as-is, with none of the revisions they wanted, it will go to directly to President Obama who will sign it into law. That scenario is far from certain, however, and what the final bill will look like remains to be seen.
Nonetheless, the essence of the bill seeks to fix America’s health care system – which costs much, much more than in other industrialized nations.
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Care Reform, Health Care, Health Care Reform, Reform