COVID Pandemic Highlights Need for Reform of US Healthcare

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted longstanding weaknesses of the U.S. healthcare system. In a May 20 webinar sponsored by the Niskanen Center, I examined three key issues:

• Where has our healthcare system failed?
• What can be done to make it work better?
• Is healthcare reform as we know it even relevant any more?

By "healthcare reform as we know it," I mean the kinds of reforms discussed endlessly during 2019 Democratic primary campaign and before that, during Republican efforts to "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act. I highlight three reform models:

• Democratic candidate Joe Biden's proposal to expand Obamacare
• Republican Representative Bruce Westerman's Fair Care Act
• Universal catastrophic coverage, a nonpartisan alternative put forth by Niskanen Center.

I explain how each of these can at least partially address problems raised by the pandemic, including loss of employer-sponsored coverage by tens of millions of job-losers and inadequate provision for testing, treatment, and supported isolation. I also discuss some problems that existing reforms do not adequately address.

My slideshow from the webinar is available here. A link to the complete video, including comments by Jeff Flier and additional Q&A by participants, will be available soon. 

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