Given the precarious state of the economy and the huge investment being made to keep Wall Street afloat, some have argued any move to implement universal health care is ill-timed. Jonathan Gruber, in an op-ed piece in today's New York Times, argues it's the best time.
As
the country slips into what is possibly the worst downturn since the
Depression, nearly all experts agree that Washington should stimulate
demand with new spending. And one of the most effective ways to spend
would be to give states money to enroll more people in Medicaid and the
State Children’s Health Insurance Plan. This would free up state money
for rebuilding roads and bridges and other public works projects —
spending that could create jobs.
Health
care reform can be an engine of job growth in other ways, too. Most
proposals call for investments in health information technology,
including the computerization of patient medical records. During the
campaign, for example, Mr. Obama proposed spending $50 billion on such
technology. The hope is that computerized recordkeeping, and the
improved sharing of information among doctors that it would enable,
would improve the quality of patient care and perhaps also lower
medical costs. More immediately, it would create jobs in the technology
sector.
Expanded insurance coverage would also drive demand for high-paying, rewarding jobs in health services. Most reform proposals emphasize primary care, much of which can be provided by nurse practitioners, registered nurses and physician’s assistants. These jobs could provide a landing spot for workers who have lost jobs in other sectors of the economy.
Investment,
at this time, should be smart, effective, and offer long term benefit.
Secretary Paulson seems to be floundering about and not have a real
plan what to do with the $700B Congress recently handed him to goose
the economy. But one thing is certain; Mr. Paulson is not thinking
infrastructure investment at all with his $700B.
Health care reform has been on the back burner for years and years, and this will be an opportunity for opponents to argue putting it off for even longer. As Mr. Gruber notes, health care reforms can generate desperately needed jobs and now is exactly the time to pushfor these reforms.
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