AMSA Book Discussion Webinar with Howard Dean
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 12:00 p.m. ET
The recorded AMSA Book Discussion webinar with Gov. Dean and co-host Farheen Qurashi, AMSA JRLD is now available online.
In this session, we had AMSA chapters from across the country participating in group viewing sessions — an online, live national audience of about 200 physicians-in-training. During the webinar Gov. Dean discussed his insights on some of the most pressing aspects of the current health reform debate and his new book HOWARD DEAN’S PRESCRIPTION FOR REAL HEALTH REFORM: How We Can Achieve Affordable Medical Care for Every American and Make Our Jobs Safer (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2009). We had an engaging discussion on with Gov. Dean and our colleague’s questions for him were thought-provoking and enlightening. Have you joined the health reform debate? Are you interested in weighing-in on the issues. You can make your voice known during this critical time. Visit AMSA’s new 2009 Health Care Reform page.
You can also download a copy of the Fall/Winter 2009 AMSA Book Discussion Webinars here.
AMSA Book Discussion Webinar with Gov. Dean ~ Live Webinar Audience Questions*
We have seen data from Barbara Starfield and others that a health care system based on primary care decreases costs and increases quality. What are doing to ensure that primary care is viabloe specialty for medical students. Ashley @ American Academy of Family Physicians
What specialties do you think will be affected the most in terms of reimbursements by the new healthcare reform? Julia @ Medical College of Georgia
The public option seems like a great idea. However, do you see it as a long term plan? If so, where will the money to support this plan come from? There are already so many problems with medicare/medicaid. Do you see a public option that can avoid the same pitfalls as the previous run government run programs? Krishna @ UMDNJ SOM
The other claim we're hearing again and again is that Medicare has NOT been a strong or cost-containing payer -- those on the right see Medicare as an example of Big government failing. What statistics are strongest in combatting these claims? David @ Vanderbilt University SOM
What is your opinion on Congress allowing in-state insurance companies providing insurance options to customers in other states? Nick @ University of Cincinnati COM
So assuming there will be a national healthcare reform in the form of a single payer system, and assuming that this will also lead to a decrease in the cost of medical education and the debt incurred. What would happen to those of us who are caught in the interm of this transition? i.e. having to pay the high cost of medical debt. Jason @ RFUMS
Will the actual bill resemble the Baucus bill which benefits the insurance industry more than the American people? Chris @ MCG
During his speech last week, President Obama mentioned that low income individuals will be exempt from the plan for "foreberance" reasons. However, it wasn't clear to me how these individuals would be covered. Could you shed some light on this for us? Will they have healthcare coverage? Michael @ UMDNJ SOM
Yesterday night, a doctor who works as a senior representative at Blue Cross Blue Shield said that a major contributor to cost is technology and cost of procedures. In discussions regarding the public plan, there hasn't been much mention of regulating costs of new technology as well as distribution. How do you think this should be addressed and do you think this is a responsibility the government should take on or should it be the responsibility of individual providers? Reshma @ Warren Alpert SOM at Brown University
Has our government actively saught input from leaders of international health systems; why or why not? How will our system be better than its international counterparts after reform? Shem @ UMDNJ SOM
Addressing efficiency and cost effective system, what incentives would be included in the health care bill that would promote efficient systems such as the Mayo Clinic? Zachary @ Warren Alpert SOM at Brown University
*Answers to the live audience questions above are found by listening to the recorded AMSA Book Discussion Webinar with Gov. Howard Dean.
You should know that Gov. Howard Dean had untraditional experiencs during his journey through medical school for example, he writes in his new book, "in my third and final year of medical school, however I found a one-month elective that would allow me to go Washington" and those early days shaped his leap into the Democratic presidential primaries in 2003 where his focus was"...to bring universal healthcare to America."