Media Room

THE LEADERSHIP ANSWER- WHAT SHOULD GOVERNMENT DO?

In SKIN THE GAME, author and CEO John Hammergren identified what our country needs to do to bring our system in the right direction, but he also shares the following five points to show the specific tasks that the government must own in order for us to be successful.

"I believe that this five - point guide can be instrumental in optimizing the extent to which the government involves itself in our care, and will set us on the right track toward a market - based system that will truly put the patient at the helm. There is a bridge that is being built right in front of us that will take us to new realms of accessibility, quality, efficiency, and innovation. Although it is far from complete, we can clearly see where it is headed, and our progress increases every day."

1. Include everyone.
   Mandating insurance is the first and most important action that the government must take in order for us to reach our goal.
   
   
2. Transition to market-based Medicare and Medicaid.
   Our country has begun to offer Medicare Advantage plans, private options that offer comparable coverage to that of Medicare, but it is only a start and the transition process will be slow. Our senior and disadvantaged citizens must have the ability to choose the coverage that works for them, while our society utilizes natural market prices and encourages long - term customer commitment by eliminating the 65 - year dump.
   
   
3. Equalize tax treatments.
   In order for universal access to gain traction, insurance needs to be more affordable. The first step to relieving consumers of this problem is to equalize tax treatments across the board.
   
   
4. Reform malpractice and liability law.
   Each year, roughly 15 malpractice claims are filed per 100 physicians. Several states have already begun placing caps on the amount of compensation that can be rewarded from a malpractice suit, so those state governments have not turned a blind eye to this problem. It is time for the rest of the states to hop on board and make this trend nationwide.
   
   
5. Empower consumers with the information to make their own decisions.
   The government must continue to use its resources not only to provide the consumer with the most accurate, in-depth, and up-to-date information available, but also to make sure we know it's there.