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The Expanding Medical and Behavioral Resources with Access to Care for Everyone Health Plan
- Gilead I Lancaster, MD;
- Ryan O'Connell, MD;
- David L. Katz, MD, MPH;
- JoAnn E. Manson, MD, DrPH;
- William R. Hutchison, MSIR;
- Charles Landau, MD;
- Kimberly A. Yonkers, MD; and
- for Healthcare Professionals for Healthcare Reform
- From Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, Connecticut; Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; West Virginia College of Business and West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia; and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York.
Abstract
Healthcare Professionals for Healthcare Reform is a group of physicians and others interested in health care reform who, recognizing the urgent need for change, convened to propose a universal health care plan that builds on the strengths of the U.S. health care system and improves on its coverage, efficiency, and capacity for patient choice.
The group proposes a tiered plan, the core of which (Tier 1) would be lifetime, basic, publicly funded coverage for the entire population on the basis of the best evidence about which therapies are considered life saving, life-sustaining, or preventive. Optional coverage (Tier 2) would be funded by private insurance and cover all therapies considered to help with quality of life and functional impairment. Items considered to be luxury or cosmetic (Tier 3) would generally not be covered, as is the case under the current system.
The entire system would be overseen by a quasi-governmental, largely independent organization known as “The Board,” which would resemble the Federal Reserve and interact with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies to oversee implementation and coverage.
By building on the current health care system while introducing other features and efficiencies, the Expanding Medical and Behavioral Resources with Access to Care for Everyone (EMBRACE) plan for universal health insurance coverage offers several advantages over alternative plans that have been proposed.
Article and Author Information
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Acknowledgment: The authors thank Harlan Krumholz, MD, SM, Harold H. Hines, Jr., Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
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Potential Financial Conflicts of Interest: Grants received: K.A. Yonkers (Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Wyeth).
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Requests for Single Reprints: Gilead I Lancaster, MD, The Heart Institute at Bridgeport Hospital, 267 Grant Street, Bridgeport, CT 06610; e-mail, pglanc{at}bpthosp.org.
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Current Author Addresses: Drs. Lancaster and O'Connell: The Heart Institute at Bridgeport Hospital, 267 Grant Street, Bridgeport, CT 06610.
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Dr. Katz: Yale Prevention Research Center, Griffin Hospital, 2nd Floor, 130 Division Street, Derby, CT 06418.
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Dr. Manson: Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 900 Commonwealth Avenue, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02215.
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Mr. Hutchison: 7 Overlook Drive, Newtown CT 06470.
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Dr. Landau: Connecticut Heart and Vascular Center, 2979 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT 06606.
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Dr. Yonkers: Yale School of Medicine, 142 Temple Street, Suite 301, New Haven, CT 06510.
