How serious are Medicare's problems, and how substantial a change do we need to fix it? | Public Agenda

Wednesday 19 November 2008

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ON THE AGENDA

Below The Radar

Maya Dusenbery
Nov 19, 2008

Between the long shadow cast by the economy and the excitement of the historic election of Barack Obama as the new president of the United States, there's one subject which has barely made it into the headlines. Among the ballot initiatives that were decided in the fifty states were three referenda which would have banned or restricted abortion. These measures, in South Dakota, Colorado, and California, were all defeated.

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Could an Economic Downturn Be the Ticket to Health Care Reform?

Jenny Choi
Nov 18, 2008

An analysis in the Los Angeles Times today posits what could prove to be a tipping point for the health care crisis: the current economic slump.

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FACING UP TO THE
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How serious are Medicare's problems, and how substantial a change do we need to fix it?

PERSPECTIVE

Put individuals in charge of their own health care

QUESTION

How serious are Medicare's problems, and how substantial a change do we need to fix it?

ANSWER

The current Medicare system, which amounts to a charge card for which individuals don't receive the bill, is fundamentally flawed. What's needed is radical change: replacing Medicare with a system in which individuals have personal medical savings accounts to pay for their own health care in retirement.

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Tags: baby boomer, Elderly, Federal Budget, health care, HMO, low-income, Medicare, patient, physician, private health insurance, recipient, retired, Seniors

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Homework For The New Administration And The 111th Congress

Entering a new era in Washington is a good time for many things, including a good hard look at what needs to be done to improve our education system, from pre-kindergarten all the way up through college. With that in mind, we've put together an education reform "to do" list for the president-elect and members of the 111th Congress. We invite you to check out the list and then log on to our site to discuss the education issues you feel should be priorities in 2009.

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