Despite concerns, profs laud principles of health plan

A number of University professors said they endorse the principles of President Clinton's health care plan, but have reservations about the specifics of this piece of legislation. "I endorse the principles [Clinton] presented in his address," said Sandy Schwartz, a medicine and health care management professor. "But some important areas require further consideration and revision." Schwartz, a consultant to Clinton's health care task force, said he is most concerned with patients' choices and funding for the program. He hopes the policy will not limit choice. "If you or I want additional benefits that we are willing to pay for, we should not be restricted," he said. "I don't think we want the government to say this is what's covered and this is what's not. The government [plan] should be one of many choices." Schwartz added the plan is still very broad and will not go through Congress without compromises and modifications. He said he hopes people will focus on how best to implement the program and not on whether to implement the program. "The need for reform is clear," he said. Another task force advisor, Alan Hillman, said nothing in Clinton's speech surprised him. The medicine and health care systems professor added that people judging the plan should not be motivated by self-interest; they should look at the long-term effects of such a plan and not the short-term results. Clinton's proposal includes an immense restructuring of the current health care system in a hope to drive down escalating costs. Consumers will be encouraged to purchase policies from low-cost health maintenance organizations and the government will try to persuade hospitals, doctors and insurers to join together in networks. Clinton will also create a National Health Board consisting of seven members. In the past month, the national media and various Congressmen have been skeptical about how the country will afford the plan, but Hillman said it will have the necessary funding. "Everything is financeable," he said. "But does [Clinton] have the political support right now for certain types of financing?" Hillman said reforming the current health system is a better option than completely rebuilding the system from scratch. "He has to build on an incremental basis," Hillman explained. "To build on the American health care system is the only way it can be done. We cannot rebuild from the ground up." But Mark Pauly, a health care systems professor, said the President's plan will not have the government funding for all the benefits provided for in the legislation. Although he agrees with the objectives, he said regulating health insurance premiums is not the best way to control costs. Pauly, an advisor to former President Bush, has proposed his own plan to finance reform. His plan calls for larger tax breaks to people to help them afford insurance. He said individuals should be responsible for finding their own plans and should be able to purchase a plan from whomever they chose. He also said the government should remove the current tax breaks that encourage people to buy expensive insurance. Pauly, also an advisor to the Congressional Democratic leadership, said he is waiting to see how people are reacting to Clinton's speech last week. "It will be interesting to see how the public will respond to the Home Shopping Network version of his plan," Pauly quipped. "There certainly will be a big campaign for it."