As the debate over the future of healthcare in the U.S. continues to unfold in legislative corridors, the national media and street corner coffee shops across America, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy hosted a timely and informative discussion featuring four faculty members of the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics: Dana Goldman, Neeraj Sood, Julie Zissimopoulos and Erin Trish.
The panelists said the complex issue, including the potential repeal or reform of the Affordable Care Act, will require difficult conversations involving economic and social concerns, and perhaps a fundamental change in defining healthcare.
3 Key Takeaways:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=37&v=oNsoLvm2JoU
- Healthcare costs have soared to over $3 trillion annually. Spending on seniors over age 65 is now three times that of spending on those of working age – and the size of the older group will double in the next 40 years.Should the focus turn from prolonged end-of-life care to overall population health, such as focusing on nutrition, diet, exercise and early childhood education?
- There’s a need to further incentivize smart healthcare decisions – and such incentives could target either the consumer-patient side (through lower costs) or doctors, hospitals and other health-care providers (allowing them to make more money by doing the “right” thing).
- Insurance options and access to adequate coverage vary greatly from state to state, but the pathway to greater equality as well as settling government’s role in funding payments to insurers is unclear.
Now more than ever healthcare orginizations look to executives and hospital administrators to lead their health network through turbulent times.
If you want to learn more about the challenges and opportunities facing leaders in healthcare, download our recent eBook where we explore how 20 CEOs from the nation's top health networks are leading disruptive change.