Synopses & Reviews
The United States spends more money on health care by far than any other country and yet nearly 50,000,000 Americans are uninsured at least part of the time each year.
Health Care Reform Now! is written for anyone who cares enough about our health care situation to consider serious alternatives to the current system.
In this book George Halvorsonan internationally known health care leader and authoroffers a sensible approach to health care reform and universal coverage that can work for all stakeholders.
Step by step, George Halvorson outlines a game plan for a truly world-class health care system that will appeal to policy makers on both ends of the political spectrum and will deliver health care with improved quality, better access, provider accountability, performance transparency, consumer choice, and individual empowerment.
As readable as it is instructive, Health Care Reform Now! proposes a practical model that solves the unsolvable by identifying specific areas where health care performance can create better outcomes, better choices, and far better use of the health care dollar. Halvorson explains why "reform" itself needs to be a "product" rather than just a concept. He also explains why quick action is essential and how using the right toolsthe focus on real costs
and the use of real data and better caregiver support systemscan make universal coverage easy to administer, efficient, affordable, and "free" in three yearscompared to what the total cost of care would be without universal coverage.
Review
"He sets out one possible direction for health care reform." (
BookNews, Feb 2008)
"…rich in insights and suggestions that make them compelling reading for anyone seriously concerned about U.S. Health Reform." (Health Affairs, Jan/Feb, 2008)
"This is a very readable book on the current status of reform possibilities facing the US health care system." (JAMA, Feb 2008)
"A management guru, Halvorson shows how the same principles Wal-Mart and Target use to lower consumer costs can be applied to health care." (www.outrageoustimes.com, 09/12/2007)
Review
"George Halvorson convincingly argues that the United States finally has what it needs to make universal coverage a reality and lays out a plan to get us there. It should be required reading on Capitol Hill."
—Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA),chairman, Ways and Means Health Subcommittee
"George Halvorson's timing couldn’t be better. This is a book that everyone who is searching for solutions should read."
—Helen Darling,president, National Business Group on Health
"Halvorson's comprehensive approach, rooted in a practical understanding of the complexities of American health care, helps us focus on what matters."
—Ian Morrison, Ph.D.,healthcare futurist and author, Healthcare in the New Millennium
"This book is powerful and compelling. It's just the right book for this time."
—Jeffrey C. McGuiness,president, HR Policy Association
Synopsis
"We don't really have a health care delivery system in this country. We have an expensive plethora of uncoordinated, unlinked, economically segregated, operationally limited micro systems, each performing in ways that too often create suboptimal performance both for the overall health care infrastructure and for individual patients."
—from the Introduction
Praise for Health Care Reform Now!
"George Halvorson convincingly argues that the United States finally has what it needs to make universal coverage a reality and lays out a plan to get us there. It should be required reading on Capitol Hill."
—Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA), chairman, Ways and Means Health Subcommittee
"George Halvorson's timing couldn't be better. This is a book that everyone who is searching for solutions should read."
—Helen Darling, president, National Business Group on Health
"Halvorson's comprehensive approach, rooted in a practical understanding of the complexities of American health care, helps us focus on what matters."
—Ian Morrison, Ph.D., health care futurist and author, Health Care in the New Millennium
"This book is powerful and compelling. It's just the right book for this time."
—Jeffrey C. McGuiness, president, HR Policy Association
Synopsis
An approach to health care reform that can work for everyone
This book is for everyone who cares enough about our health care situation to consider serious alternatives to the current system. George Halvorson, an internationally known health care leader and author, provides a game plan for policymakers on both ends of the political spectrum who want to create a truly world-class health care system. He explains why health care reform must be based on improved quality, better access, and consumer empowerment. Simultaneously passionate and rational, the book details a model that solves the unsolvable by simplifying and streamlining our health care system in a way that works for patients, doctors, nurses, payers, and those who legislate policy.
George Halvorson (Alameda, CA) is Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals in Oakland, California.
Synopsis
The United States spends more money on health care by far than any other country and yet nearly 50,000,000 Americans are uninsured at least part of the time each year.
Health Care Reform Now!is written for anyone who cares enough about our health care situation to consider serious alternatives to the current system.
In this book George Halvorson—an internationally known health care leader and author—offers a sensible approach to health care reform and universal coverage that can work for all stakeholders.
Step by step, George Halvorson outlines a game plan for a truly world-class health care system that will appeal to policy makers on both ends of the political spectrum and will deliver health care with improved quality, better access, provider accountability, performance transparency, consumer choice, and individual empowerment.
About the Author
George Halvorson, is chairman and CEO of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals, Oakland, California. He was president and CEO of HealthPartners in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is the coauthor of Epidemic of Care and author of Strong Medicine.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
The Author.
1. A Few Hard but Useful Truths.
2. Data: The Missing Link for Health Care Reform.
3. What Do We Do Until the E mr Arrives?
4. Basic Steps to Improve Care for Chronic Disease Patients.
5. Eight Developments That Finally Make Health Care Reform Possible.
6. Making the Market Work for Health Care.
7. A New Idea: The Infrastructure Vendor.
8. Who Should We Hire to Reform Our Health Care Infrastructure?
9. Next Steps and Expectations.
10. Cost Shift Realities.
11. Universal Coverage Now!
12. So What Should We Do Now?
Notes.