|
|
|
|
Oregon's Health Care Plan: An Idea Well Worth Trying |
| Section: CURRENT ISSUES / COMMENTARY |
| Author: Jeffrey Miller |
| Publication:
The World & I Online |
| Issue Date: 1/1/1993 |
| Size: 2,441 Words, 15,389 Characters |
|
The people of Oregon, through their elected representatives, have proposed a bold experiment to make health care available and affordable for all Oregonians. Federal approval is required for part of their proposal. To date, it has not been forthcoming.
The goal of the health care reforms Oregon is proposing is nothing short of universal access to a basic level of health care benefits. Thousands of Oregonians will benefit from the lessons learned that can be applied to reforming America's health care system.
There is general agreement that the American health care system is in need of serious reform. A recent Louis Harris and Associates poll found 60 percent of American adults feel the American health care system needs fundamental changes. Another 29 percent felt the entire system should be rebuilt. Only 10 percent felt that minor changes would suffice. These results are not surprising. The American health care system at $800 billion is by far the most expensive in the world, measured either in terms of per capita spending or spending as a proportion of gross domestic product.
In spite of record spending levels, some 32 million Americans have no health insurance. Other countries spend less, but guarantee all their citizens access to basic health care.
Nor does higher spending produce better results. By commonly accepted measures, such as infant mortality and life expectancy. America's system is outperformed by those of other industrial nations.
While there is agreement on the need for refor...
Read Full Article
...elected representatives to decide what constitutes adequate health care, and so on in a way the electorate can understand.
Will the Oregon proposal be the basis for a national model? Who knows? That's why we conduct experiments. The benefits of this experiment outweigh the costs for the people of Oregon, and the rest of the country can learn valuable lessons. Let the experiment begin. vbcrlf
(1,569 of 15,389 characters)
|
|
|
Publication Details
(The World & I Online) |
|
The World & I Online is a
comprehensive academic resource that encompasses a broad range of
articles by scholars and experts in the areas of Global Studies,
Liberal Arts, Fine & Applied Arts, General Science, and Spanish.
Originally published monthly in print as The World & I, our site
includes the complete contents since 1986 and continues to publish
a new issue online each month. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
