Health Care Reform Proposal 2

“Overall reform needs to begin by encouraging all health care providers, purchasers, consumers, and policy makers to think in terms of health agenda rather than a healthcare financing agenda”, Wisconsin Nurses Association. The United States is home to the best medical technology and best doctors in the world. Unfortunately, their services are a luxury that many Americans cannot afford. It is the responsibility of not only President Obama and Congress, but anyone that feels they can contribute their knowledge, time, or money to this long awaited change in American society. It is important to remember that when reforming the health care system that it will take some give and take from everyone. We will not be able to move forward without cooperation from everyone involved. As stated in reform 1, preventive care is the key to a successful health care reform. But, there many other actions that must be taken to have a successful health care reform.
The insurance and drug companies need to realize that making a profit and doing what is best for their companies is not what is best for the American population as a whole. Legislation should prevent insurers from overcharging doctors for their malpractice insurance and invest in proven strategies to reduce preventable medical errors. By reducing these preventable medical errors patients will have more confidence in their health system and money will be saved over time by preventing such errors.
In 2006 Massachusetts enacted a law that required all residents of the state to carry health insurance which dramatically dropped their total number of uninsured residents. The Massachusetts Health Care Reform Plan addresses one critical component of health care reform -- insurance coverage. Without an adequate supply of primary care physicians, however, the plan cannot guarantee timely access to care, creating a gap between coverage and actual provision of services. As a result, waiting times to see a primary care physician can amount to weeks and even months in some instances. It is clear to see that if our entire nation adopted a similar plan that our need for more primary care physicians would increase significantly. The government would need to put in place more scholarships and incentives to attract people to this field.
While all of the topics are important we feel that it is especially important to focus on the reform of the health care system paying close attention to the health care workforce. Physicians have an insight to the health care system like nobody else. It is crucial that we listen to their needs and ideas to improve the health care system inside and out. Administration should also be closely looked at to promote cost awareness in billing and reimbursement systems.


(2005). The Wisconsin Nursing Community Agenda for Health Care Reform. Retrieved March 16, 2009, from Nursing's Agenda For Health Care Reform Web site: http://www.wisconsinnurses.org/docs/WI%20Nursing%20Community%20AgendaFINAL.pdf
The Agenda-Health Care. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from The White House Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/health_care/
Arvantes, J (2008). Lack of Primary Care Physicians May Derail Health Care Reform Initiative . Retrieved March 16, 2009, from AAFP Web site: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/professional-issues/20080130massachusettsreform.html
Gov. Doyle, J (March 11, 2009). Washington Should Look to Wisconsin for Answer to Health Care Reform. Retrieved March 16, 2009, from The Huffington Post Web site: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gov-jim-doyle/washington-should-look-to_b_174107.html
Hatwell, K (2009, March 10). AMA Physicians Work for Health Care Reform. Retrieved March 16, 2009, from AMA Web site: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/no-index/news-events/physicians-health-care-reform.shtml