"Sanjaya Sings … Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About … How About Single Payer"

Is Massachusetts health reform the American Idol of other states? Will we be sent back to the drawing board? Will Commonwealth Care be affordable? Will we achieve real health reform? Cast your vote on the CommonHealth Blog.

Reading the various entries of my co-contributors this past month I’d say the jury is still out but it’s not looking good. Here are some quotes from some recent entries:
“Unfortunately, it gives people access to the same health care system that is accused of being too costly, to have variable quality, be inefficient, unfriendly, and inaccessible… We need to review and reconsider a single payer system and determine whether administrative simplification has the merits promised.” - Carl A. Soderland, M.D.
“Massachusetts has been the first state to take on the issue of covering the uninsured. Could we also lead the way in taking on the challenge of making healthcare more affordable?” - Christina Severin
Lots of folks look at Chapter 58 and say, “ugliest piece of s___ I ever done seen!” Others look and say, “Not too shabby. We could have done worse. Let’s figure out how to use it the best we can, and then figure out next steps.” - John McDonough

Dr. Soderland, is the Connector the potential first step toward a single payer system in Massachusetts? Can we talk?

Christina, maybe we can realize significant savings with the administrative simplification Dr. Soderland talks about, that could actually be used to make health care more affordable. What do you think?

John, I guess your former colleagues in the legislature are used to taking the position that “when you get lemons you make lemonade.” But how do we use it the best we can and figure out the next step … to a single payer system??

To the readers of the CommonHealth Blog … send in your votes:

□ The Connector for Single Payer

□ Health Reform the Usual Style

Elmer Freeman, Executive Director, Center for Community Health Education Research and Service, Northeastern University; Co-Chair, Critical MASS