In an Inauguration special, Health Affairs had collected a series of articles from leaders in health care reform to show bipartisan perspectives.
The Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center article “Health Care Reform: Why We Cannot Afford To Fail” is published as part of this series. View the articles. A subscription is required to see all of the articles in the series. To view the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center article, please contact the Health Policy Center.
2 Comments
I am somewhat familiar with the health care systems of Germany and of the UK- both known for delivery of quality medical care and for ALL citizens, irrespective of income and social standing. Measured by infant mortalities etc., both systems are equal or better than ours and require expenditure of about half of the percentage of GNP than that of the US. What is the difference? Medical malpractice reality: there this is a relatively infrequent occurrence and usually settled at a fraction of US expenses. No ambulance chases and “we’ll litigate for you at no cost unless successful” (and then at 30 to 50% of settlement). Other than the cost of malpractice insurance and of an overabundant, predatory sector of the legal profession, fear of malpractice suits forces physicians to “malpractice”, i.e. employ pricey laboratory and radiologic studies way in excess of those done elsewhere or medically indicated.
In all the discussion of health care reform in the USA, the malpractice excesses receive little or no attention. Is this because Congress is populated by lawyers?
Would really like to view the articles but it requires a subscription to Health Affairs. Is there another place I can access them?
thanks, Mark