Keeping It All in Perspective

The $900 billion figure keeps getting thrown around.  I don’t know about you but that seems like a mighty big number – and it is.  But, we need to keep it in perspective.  First, the number is the projected cost over the next 10 years.  Second, over the same ten year period, the projected healthcare spend by the US is around $40 – 45 trillion dollars. If we accept those projections, the cost of the healthcare reform package will amount to about +2 percent of the total healthcare costs projected for the US over the next 10 years.  While every percent counts, it’s also clear that if we do this right, we will save money, not expand money. 

While most of the discussion over the last several months has shifted to health insurance reform – the real debate will shift to true healthcare reform.  It will take the next three to five years to truly reform the system so that we do a better job, provide better outcomes, serve the public better, and make all of this happen by creating better value for the American public.  In the coming months I will continue talking about these issues and the policy discussions which will no doubt become the focus for dialogue, discussion, and debate across the country.

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