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Healthcare Reform Matters to All of Us
William D. Petasnick
President and CEO, Froedtert Hospital
 After several fits and starts, twists and turns and some unlikely events (including the election of Republican Sen. Scott Brown by blue state Massachusetts), the House passed its final version of the sweeping healthcare reform package on Sunday, March 20. The House vote and the President’s executive action to make the bill the law of the land mark the end of the legislative process, but much of the real work lies ahead.
It is widely acknowledged that health care in our country is not as inclusive, cost-effective, efficient, coordinated or consistently excellent as we need it to be. The new law addresses some key areas, including maintaining the public-private financing system, reducing the rate of cost increases, expanding coverage, reforming the health insurance market to ensure that individuals can buy insurance, and beginning to change the payment system to reward value over volume.
The changes are necessary, but not sufficient to heal our fraying system. The tenets of reform will need to be translated into a set of policies and procedures and implemented. This work will take time and the results will not be immediate. The coverage expansions are set to begin in 2014 and won’t be fully implemented until 2019. Perhaps more importantly, there are issues left to be addressed, including an expanded focus on wellness and prevention. There will certainly be legislative adjustments and other changes as the process of implementation begins.
Americans across the political spectrum demonstrated personal interest in and concern about the healthcare reform package and political process. Whether you supported or opposed reform, your continued engagement will be critical as the plan moves from paper to practice.
Source: Froedtert Today Date: May 2010 Online Editor(s): Robin Schultz |
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