Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill wrote a great column in today’s Times about healthcare reform. What I like is that he doesn’t rule out nationalized healthcare (indeed, by calling for a national risk pool, I think he’s acknowledge that the future is in universal care). But what I like even more is this:
In the end, we cannot look at insurance coverage, medical costs, quality of care and information technology as separate issues. As we strive to make sure every American can get necessary treatment, we must look at every aspect of our health care system. We can do much better, and we should start now.
That’s what’s not being talked about in great enough detail. Healthcare reform has to be more comprehensive than just “cover everyone.”
Greg Palmer 