Senator running for gov. deserves seat at policy table
from the Livingston Daily
Tom George is a Republican state senator from the Kalamazoo area who is running for governor. He's also a physician, which provides him a firsthand look at critical health-care issues.
His candidacy for governor is a long shot. The four other announced Republican candidates have leads over him in both name recognition and campaign funds. As such, his voice in this summer's campaign may not be heard.
That would be a shame. Because George brings to the table some level-headed observations about the cost and quality of health care, which should be part of both the state and national debate.
At the core, George correctly observes that more money doesn't equate to better health care. He also makes the insightful observation that health-care providers are often rated — and rewarded — on criteria that have little to do with improving the health of patients.
"We've confused health care with health," he said during a visit to our offices this week. George makes a compelling case that much of our health-care spending is misdirected. We spent too much time and money treating ongoing symptoms and too little effort in changing behaviors that cause the problem in the first place.
He suggested that half of health-care spending is directed at ailments that could be fixed or avoided by behavioral changes.
There are drugs that will treat high blood pressure and cholesterol counts, but those treatments don't address the root problem: obesity, poor health habits and lack of exercise, for example.
Similarly, George too often sees young pregnant women who are delivering prematurely, which greatly increases the chance of problem births, thereby jeopardizing the health of the baby and creating greater costs. George says much of this could be avoided if the young expectant mother could be both educated about proper prenatal health habits and encouraged to follow them.
There are steps in this direction in the private sector, where good health habits are rewarded — or poor practices penalized — by the cost of premiums. George concedes such innovations are more difficult with Medicaid patients — who by definition don't have the financial resources to obtain insurance — but he believes progress can still be made.
George's ideas deserve a broad hearing. They speak both to improving the quality of life while attacking the unsustainable cost of health care. This, obviously, is a point that is just as valid on the national stage as it is in Michigan.
Our health-care system is grossly expensive. While it sometimes does magnificent things, the cost does not always translate into healthier communities. Rather, the system still rewards procedures rather than results.
People such as George, who have seen the inside of both operating rooms and legislative chambers, are well-positioned to suggest meaningful changes. Regardless of the outcome of this year's race, there needs to be a way to get him a seat at the policy table.
The original article can be seen here.
Posted: 2/17/2010