This Makes Sense

David Brooks makes great sense to me in this piece. Here is the article in the Atlantic to which he refers. Here is the Brookings Institute report to which he refers. Web site. Executive summary. Full report.

I think the savings potential of the electronic records is oversold. But, altering payment incentives and discussions of using cost effectiveness research are needed. And doing at least something about the tax exclusion for employer provided insurance is a must if we are going to do anything to control health care costs.

We also need an Independent Medicare Advisory Commission to start looking comprehensively at payment rates and coverage decisions. Start with this group on such a commission (Dems and Repubs represented). The last thing we need is Congress mucking the details. They need to say what rate of spending increase can we afford given other priorities. And then let the experts make it work.