The Day Healthcare Reform Stood Still

Greetings from our Nation’s Capitol,

It is the eve of CapCon and I am anxious to get started. These are historic times for our industry as we stand at the very precipice of health care reform. As I thought about how I would “kick off” CapCon, I was reminded of a scene from the 2008 re-make of the 1950’s sci-fi film, The Day the Earth Stood Still, where Keanu Reeves plays Klaatu, an alien sent to monitor how humans have treated the earth and all its resources. Klaatu is on earth to decide if humans should be allowed to continue to occupy the planet.

In one particular scene a human begs Klaatu not to allow the destruction of the human race by explaining how human crisis need to be taken to the very edge before change can truly occur. The person goes on to say that it is sometimes necessary to teeter at the very precipice of annihilation in order to create the kind of change that results in better things. It is at that critical point where we come together. This is where we forget petty differences and individual agendas. This is where only one thing matters and everyone can see it.

No one doubts that these are historic times. No one doubts that we need health care reform. No one doubts that we need change. I believe we stand at the precipice of health care reform today. Health care presents some interesting challenges to us. One the one hand we have the moral issue that everyone deserves some form of care when they are sick and/or ailing. On the other hand we have the economic challenges that force the concept of rationing. Wrap all this around an industry that employs millions, involves both the public and private sectors, is sometimes driven by the demands of stockholders and is 1/6th of our nation's economy and it is not too hard to see there may be no “easy fix”.

I wonder if we, unfortunately, somehow need this crisis in health care in order to bring us all together with the narrowed purpose that is only clearly visible at the precipice of annihilation.

Last year we were successful at stopping a “hurried” fix of the system. I did not believe then, nor do I now, that the hurried fixes would have worked. We have a moment now. A moment where we have the attention of Washington and the hopes of our clients and customers. We only have a moment. We need to make it count and suggest changes and reforms that will create a better health care system. If not, I fear we, as workers in the health care industry, will suffer the same suggested fate the humans faced in the Day the Earth Stood Still. I believe this is a huge challenge. I hope we are up for it.

Keep this concept in mind as you read the blog over the next few days. I know I will.

Pete