Reform Medicaid First: Laying the Foundation for National Health Care Reform [Paperback]

Thomas W. Grannemann (Author), Mark V. Pauly (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

As Congress contemplates major revisions to America's health care system, two leading health economists warn that significant differences among state Medicaid programs will hinder national health care reform. Thomas W. Grannemann and Mark V. Pauly argue that Medicaid will need to be reformed as an early step in any serious health care reform effort.

Product Details

• Paperback: 62 pages
• Publisher: AEI Press (June 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 084474316X
• ISBN-13: 978-0844743165
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,618,147 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Before we "fix" the whole system, let's do a simpler thing and fix medicaid, August 18, 2009

By	Craig Matteson (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Reform Medicaid First: Laying the Foundation for National Health Care Reform (Paperback)

Since the reason underneath the remaking of American Health Care is supposed to be taking are of the poor who can't seem to get insured it would make sense to take a close look at Medicaid, our expensive program to care for the medical needs of the nation's poor. Thomas Grannemann and Mark Pauly are economists who specialize in healthcare and they have provided us with this monograph to help us understand what is going on in Medicaid today and why we must begin by reforming Medicaid before setting out to fix healthcare or we will not get to the real issue, which is supposed to be caring for those in need.

They show the tremendous disparity in providing Medicaid and explain why equalizing Medicaid payments must be done before you attempt anything else to change health care in America. In fact, if we do a good enough job in caring for the poor and make a few adjustments to existing insurance, such as portability, equalizing tax treatment for individuals buying health insurance and employer based care, and a possible few others and we won't need Obamacare (this last sentiment is mine).

The authors offer this checklist: "interstate equity, equality of payments across settings, claims-based accountability, provider network control, and value-based cost containment. They wisely urge us to be clear about what we want to end up with and take a slow and deliberate approach towards our health-care rather than the rash process being attempted against us now.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI