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Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis Hardcover – February 19, 2008

by Tom Daschle (Author), Jeanne M. Lambrew (Narrator), Scott S. Greenberger (Narrator)
3.4 out of 5 stars 55 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; 1 edition (February 19, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312383010
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312383015
  • Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.2 x 8.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #724,142 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 starsPhysician Response
By Physician Reviewer on December 11, 2008
Format: Hardcover
Why is Tom Daschle (who interestingly is not a physician, but a lawyer, politician, and lobbyist) in charge of the health care arena in the first place? It's insulting to us physicians that the president elect couldn't find one of the many talented physician leaders to head up this project.

With that said, Daschle's main ideas gleamed from reading the book are:

1) Set up a Federal Health Board to regulate policy and provide evidence-based practices - The idea of a Federal Health Reserve is a good one. It would allow a nonjudgmental board to improve medical care at the federal policy level without political biases.

2) Expand Medicaid - This, although reasonable, is scary. Medicaid is amongst the lowest of all reimbursers. Many treatments and procedures simply cannot be done at the Medicaid reimbursement level, such that major academic centers with Federal support eat the costs of doing business with these patients. Any expansion will have to see reimbursement rates dramatically increased or physicians protesting.

3) Mandate by law (like in Massachusetts) that individuals have insurance - This seems like a good way to increase "insured individuals." What it does for quality of care remains to be proven.

4) Pay physicians based on their success - This is a slippery slope as it will reward physicians who are less apt to take risk. Also, deciding upon which outcome measures and variables to reward will be no easy task - the scientific community has only defined the variables for a very small subset of patient care items to date.

5) Open up the federal health insurance "group policy' to all employers and individuals to obtain an economy of scale - I don't know anyone with this insurance, but it seems like a fine idea.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsIlluminating
By Amazon Customer on February 19, 2008
Format: Hardcover
A big part of me resisted the idea of buying a book on health care written by a former Senator. It just seemed way too wonkish for me. But I am into politics and a minute does not go by without a candidate screaming about "Health Care" and "Universal Health Care" so I figured I should get up to speed on what the debate is all about.

I'm really glad I did. In truth, Critical is a well written book and is quite interesting. Daschle cogently explains why our current health care system is broken and why there is, in fact, a desperate need to fix it. I'd heard that said many times before but did not understand why. Now I do, thanks to this book.

I am a strong believer in the free market as the best means for providing most of the goods that people want at the best price. But I now have to admit that the free market is not working when it comes to health care. It really isn't. And I am not saying this as a Democrat. I am a registered Republican.

For those who might think that this book is nothing but a left-wing, socialist rant, they would be wrong. In fact, many of Daschle's recommendations for "fixing" the system are to make our system work the way it would in a true free market environment. That is, to provide the highest quality care at the least cost to the consumer. It was really eye-opening to learn how very far away from this ideal our current system is.

Daschle's book covers most of the bases. It describes our current system and why it is so flawed (the number one cause for bankruptcy in our country cannot be called a good system of health care!) He then describes the history of trying to create a better health care system in our country, starting with Truman, up to Clinton, and on up to the current day.Read more ›
18 Comments 144 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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4.0 out of 5 starsA slim volume on fat topic
By John Thornton on May 22, 2008
Format: Hardcover
I avoided learning about the politics of the mid-East for a long, long time. Too complex and insoluble. Then 9/11 and, well... I picked up "The Mid-East for Dummies" at Barnes and Noble. "It's a start," I told myself, and not a bad one as it turns out.

As a supposedly responsible political actor, I've found myself similarly ignorant when it comes to the droning debate on health care. And, God knows, listening to the candidates for President is not terribly edifying in this regard. "Tastes great, less filling" would pass nicely for substance on this (or almost any other) topic in this election season.

To my rescue rides Tom Daschle and his co-authors whose "Critical: What Can We Do About the Health Care Crisis" could have just as well been sub-titled "U.S. Health Care Policy for Dummies."

Unlike the "Dummies" books, this one is prescriptive. Senator Daschle et al bascically argue that the U.S. Congress is in over its head on health care and--like it did on monetary policy with the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913--should outsource its decision making on the immensely complex topic to a Presidentially appointed panel of experts. This is a an interesting proposition, coming as it does from the former Senate Majority leader who hails from a state with deep populist roots. But the case he makes is not uncompelling.

Daschle calmly traces how health care reform has crashed repeatedly upon the same special interest shoals, at least since the Depression. The shape of the barely submerged obstacle may change (doctors, unions, insurance companies), but its sheer, hulking mass only increaseth. Congress, he argues, has neither knowledge nor institutional will to make good and far-sighted decisions on behalf of its constituents.Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Great look into the real us health care system

Published 21 months ago by Y. S. Moon
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat perspective

Senator Daschle brings a thoughtful and reasonable approach to our current situation with a some great ideas. Easy read over a long weekend.

Published on August 30, 2013 by Garrett Holt
5.0 out of 5 starsImportant Story

This very short book is a great synopsis of our current health care situation. The first section, which describes how the United States arrived at it's current health care state,... Read more

Published on April 24, 2012 by David
3.0 out of 5 starsSerious attempt to clarify debate, but flawed central idea

Former senator Tom Daschle has a greater command than many of the numerous complexities surrounding health care reform. Read more

Published on November 15, 2011 by Sagar Jethani
4.0 out of 5 starsRead it for the detailed history of health-care reform

Daschle wrote this book and was originally tabbed for HHS Secretary as a result of it. A healthcare professional has told me that his recommendation of a healthcare overseer much... Read more

Published on May 22, 2010 by Amod A. Vaze
5.0 out of 5 starsPerspective on Critical-What Can We Do About the Health-Care Crisis

Senator Daschle and his policy friends are advocates for a healthcare reform agenda that is based on a Federal Healthcare Board. Read more

Published on October 23, 2009 by Daniel Wolf
1.0 out of 5 starsSuperficial analysis of a subject that deserves better

Lots of good reviews here. My synopsis:

1) A lot of folks aren't covered, with tragic consequences [well written and convincing]. Read more

Published on October 8, 2009 by John Schwab
4.0 out of 5 starsCritical: What We Can Do about the Health-Care Crisis

Senator Tom Daschle, this book's author, twice lost the chance of being the architect of a massive reformation of the United States' health care system. Read more

Published on September 7, 2009 by Barney Considine
1.0 out of 5 starsBlah blah blah

Mostly platitudes about how broke the system is. Thinking that the government can run it better is crazy talk. Read more

Published on August 23, 2009 by J. Pellitteri
2.0 out of 5 starsmy 2 cents

I bought this book when Tom Dauchle was the nominee for the Sec of HHS. By the time I received it he withdrew his nomination but I decided to read it anyway. Read more

Published on July 10, 2009 by JayK

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