Introduction

I started this blog out of a deep sense of disappointment at the quality of public discourse on the Health Care Reform debate currently taking place. Articles in newspapers have described the efforts being made by the White House to convince both the Congress and the citizens, of the need for reform of the health care system in the US. Other articles have focused on the contest between Democrats and Republicans. Whilst, more recently, much has been focused on the internecine battle in various committees between Blue Dog democrats and the rest of the party. Columns have been wasted on describing the political horseplay. TV of course has been a wasteland with some exceptions.

Equally depressing have been the discussions posted in response to online newspaper articles. The responses have tended, on the one extreme, to be from liberals who are desperate to believe that some change is possible and desirable- however meager it may turn out to be. At the other extreme have been the responses of the right-wing diehards, whose common tendency has been to raise the specter and threat of socialism.

What I have found missing has been a discussion where participants honestly state the problem to be solved, their positions and the manner in which the problem may be solved. Stock positions are taken based on ideological proclivities and neither party is the better for the discussion. The media have spectacularly failed to present information that educates their readers and helps them understand the reason for the positions being taken by the players (the President, the Democrats, the Blue Dog Democrats, the Republicans, the Insurance industry and the Medical Service providers.)

In the interest of full disclosure, let me be clear- I believe that the state of health care in our country should be a matter of national shame. We spend more than any other country on health care, yet upwards of 47 million citizens are without health care. A smaller fraction are under insured. It is true that in some cases those that choose not to get health care insurance, have the means and choose not to be insured. What is more problematic is the efficiency of the health care system. We pay more for health care than other countries- by far, and have less to show for it- in terms of generally accepted measures of health and well being.

In this blog I will attempt to provide non-partisan information that readers may use to inform themselves. I hope that readers will feel free to add links to information that will move the debate forward and add to the general body of knowledge.

For starters, I am providing links that I have found useful.
1) OECD Health Data 2009- "How Does the United States Compare"
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Description- A comparison of US healthcare against other developed countries.

2) Healthcare Reform in the United States- Economics Department Working Paper #665
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Description- A discussion of issues in the US Healthcare system along with suggestions for remedies.

3) Accounting for the cost of US health care: A new look at why Americans spend more.
McKinsey Global Institute, December 2008
Description- An excellent analysis of US Healthcare cost drivers
(You will need to register, for free, at the McKinsey site in order to read the paper).

4) The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Description- Excellent source of information for all things to do with the health care system.

5) "McAllen, Texas and the high cost of health care", Atul Gawande, The New Yorker, June 1 2009.
Description- Discusses the regional cost disparities on health care costs caused by the pay for service system.

I will add other links as I find them. This is a moderated blog and the purpose is to educate us all. I also acknowledge that there may be differences in opinion, however ideology is no excuse for ignorance. So, I will delete posts that are abusive.