Learning from Failure in Health Care Reform

The New England Journal of Medicine by Jonathan Oberlander, Ph.D. | Oct. 25, 2007 (Opinion)

Since 1994, inaction and incrementalism have governed U.S. health policy, with the predictable result that both health care spending and the number of uninsured Americans have reached record levels. Indeed, worsening conditions in the health care system have triggered renewed interest in comprehensive health care reform. Signs of change in the health care debate are everywhere -- in the formation of coalitions by business and labor groups to pursue reform, ... Full Story »

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Related Comments: Health Care (8)

4.1

by Kaizar Campwala - Oct. 1, 2008

Excellent survey of the failures of the 90's Clinton health care plan that are then used to make general points about the pitfalls of reforming health care today.

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3.3

by Louise Auerhahn - Oct. 1, 2008

Raises important points about the obstacles to major change in the health care industry and the factors that derailed the 1993 attempt at reform. However, the article's political analysis of health care policy in the U.S. seems a bit shallow; a case is not well made for why the "broader lessons" articulated at the end of the article are all still applicable today.

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3.1

by Dale Penn - Oct. 1, 2008

Offers a historical primer on past attempts to reform health care and implies the question, "What has really changed that will allow health care reform to happen this time around?" His answer: nothing.

Dale posted this story.

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