At a healthcare forum hosted by Politics magazine, current and former members of Congress said they believed President Obama would sign some sort of a healthcare reform package, most likely later this year. "There would be too much political damage done if something doesn't pass, so Congress will find a way," said Congressman Michael Burgess, MD (R-TX).
Former Governor Howard Dean, MD; Senator John Barrasso, MD (R-WY); and other healthcare industry opinion leaders joined Burgess and more than 150 attendees from congressional offices, advocacy organizations, private industry, and health insurers at the 2(nd) annual Politics magazine Health Policy Summit.
The day's first discussion panel looked at the future of healthcare reform and public funding. Moderated by Julie Barnes, Deputy Director of the Health Policy Program at the New America Foundation, the panel featured Burgess, Barrasso, former Congressman Martin Frost and former Congresswoman Nancy Johnson. The subject of how to fund healthcare reform generated passionate debate. Senator Barrasso stated that "whatever comes out is going to cost $1 trillion, and will include about $500 billion in cuts for those people who depend on Medicare. And it will involve $400 billion in new taxes."
Former Congressman Frost spoke about the challenges of paying for insurance coverage for millions of currently uninsured Americans. "The problems with pre-existing conditions, inability to change insurance coverage, lack of access across state lines--everyone agrees for the most part on those issues. Where we may depart is what to do about the millions who don't have insurance now, and can't afford to have insurance. How much subsidy should the government provide for those [who can't afford] coverage? And how do you pay for it without adding a single penny to the deficit?"
The second panel, which was moderated by Michael Chernew, PhD, professor of healthcare policy in the Department of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School and co-editor of the American Journal of Managed Care, featured Carol Kelly, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy for NACDS; Christopher J. Badgley, Vice President State Government Affairs for PhRMA; John Rother, Director of Policy and Strategy for AARP; and former Governor Howard Dean, MD. Discussion focused on the implications of reform for healthcare providers, managed care, pharmacy, and patients.
Rother said that a much bigger issue is the need for significant improvements in public health. "Screening individuals has a microscopic impact [compared to] getting people to stop smoking or lose weight." Those things have a monumental impact, he said, and patients should be incentivized to make better choices.