CONSUMER INTEREST AND HEALTH REFORM - THE LOGIC OF WITHDRAWAL FROM MANAGED COMPETITION

We propose six tasks Colston Warne would urge in addressing health care reform: (1) skepticism about advertised claims, (2) independent testing and appraisal, (3) minimizing barriers to consumer access and choice, (4) maximizing quality, (5) evaluation of fairness, and (6) assessing consumer empowerment potential. Such an exercise would likely have led him and should lead us to advocate single-payer health reform. Consumers are the key to breaking through the grid-lock blocking health reform, and single payer is the key for unlocking the democratic dialogue needed for moving forward. Thus we need to stop ''fighting over the bill'' and instead begin building a better health system.