Monday, October 20, 2008

Presidential Candidate Health Care Reform Proposals

The New England Journal of Medicine in its October 16th issue provides a review of Senator McCain and Senator Obama's proposals for improving health care in our country.

This journal is one of the most widely read, well-researched and respected professional medical journals in the world and these reviews are presented for an audience of physicians and other medical professionals.

They are well worth reading as they are understandable to a broader audience which would include anyone with an interest in the opinion of one of the most prestigious medical journals in the country.

To summarize,

Early in his campaign, Obama recognized that the success of health care reform rests on the plan's ability to slow spending growth and make health care affordable for everyone. His plan would reorganize the health-insurance market — but not change the basic financial incentives in the system that drive up spending. Although the plan would significantly increase the number of Americans with health insurance, it remains to be seen whether that would come at a price Americans would be willing to pay.


The choice facing health care professionals, like all Americans, is basic: Who deserves to be trusted with the stewardship of America's health care system? The McCain proposal violates the bedrock principle that major health policy reforms should first do no harm. It would risk the viability of employer-sponsored insurance and the welfare of chronically ill Americans in pell-mell pursuit of a radical vision of consumer-driven health care. Senator McCain's plan does not demonstrate the kind of judgment needed in a potential commander in chief of our health care system.








1 comment:

mewp said...

Dear Dr. Tong, Fabulous information here & on your other pages too. Thanks VERY much for taking the time to present and explain your humble opinions as well as your ethics. The illuminating, although horrific, FACTS about status of U.S. health care also included provides irrefutable backup to your statements and summary conclusion. Glad to be on your side & have you as my Physician!
w/MANY THANKS, Elizabeth Pabst