It only seems as though health-care reform has been all there is to talk about for the last three or four years. While our October issue shows that there are, perhaps surprisingly, a whole lot of other interesting topics to talk about in ophthalmology, we have finally reached the point where we can actually start talking about the substance and first effects of the health-care reform legislation. So we have.
Our cover story (p. 87) will give you a look at some of the initial effects that the legislation will have on ophthalmic practice. That's followed by a report from our National Panel, in which our readers share their thoughts on the reform issue. Unfortunately, as the first article explains, the issues that are the hottest buttons for our readers—the long-sought SGR fix and tort reform—are not part of the current reform plan.
In an odd way, there may actually be a feeling of relief that we've finally reached this point. For too long, the topic has been one that everybody knows about, but no one seems to understand. That may not represent the situation with physicians but it certainly does describe patients pretty well. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll released in late September found that 53 percent of Americans say they are confused about the overhaul. That was up 8 percent points from August.
While the media attention to the threats to repeal the law may have suggested otherwise, just 25 percent of those interviewed by the Associated Press in September support such a move. In fact, that same source reported that, by a 2 to 1 margin, respondents felt that the legislation actually did not go far enough.
If you're looking to the November elections for relief, you may be disappointed. When asked to rank their most important issues regarding the elections, 37 percent of likely voters in the Kaiser survey listed jobs and the economy, with health care and dissatisfaction with the government tied for second, but far behind at 10 percent.
As tempting as it might be to think that we'll throw the bums out and start over, the reality appears to be that health-care reform is going to be a long slog, not a quick fix, and one that very few of us are going to be entirely happy with along the way. The sooner we start, the better.
