The media and "we" generally do not distinguish well between health care reform and health insurance reform. The two are obviously related but are not one and the same. When you hear the political debate over ObamaCare, that's insurance reform. It's the money side of health care. Who's going to pay for what? How will patients be covered or reimbursed? What about shared savings programs? And in the case above, what are health insurance CO-OPs?
The most unfortunate outcome of our confusion is that many doctors hear the debate and conclude that health care reform must still be up for discussion. They ask, "why should I rush into EHRs? If ObamaCare fails, everything will go out the window anyway." Well, insurance reform is still up for discussion but health care reform is not. Sadly, too many Eye Care Providers are still waiting to see how it all turns out. They're holding back on EHRs thinking they can wait a little longer with their familiar paper charts. They're convinced that EHRs and the Stimulus money don't matter because they don't do much Medicare anyway. Meanwhile, health care is transforming and putting their businesses in greater jeopardy with each passing week.
If health insurance reform is the cost side of health care, health care reform is the quality side of health care. Lower cost, higher quality. Improved patient outcomes. Health care reform is not up for discussion. It has been unfolding for many years already. It is well engrained in the fabric of health care today. It is here to stay. 2011 was the year of the EHR. 2012 is the year of the HIE ... connected care.
The health insurance reform debate is likely to carry on for years to come. The only real question that remains about health care reform is whether you'll be its benefactor or its victim.
Alistair Jackson, M.Ed.
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