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A sound study based on demonstrable and well analyzed situations is needed in all projects. In public health, the USA has been leading some of the health research, but how the USA should face the lack of leadership if the health policies are based on a regulated theory. How to bring back the innovative agenda that only can be attained in a deregulated frame, in this short critical first weeks of the same policies with the same style of leadership?
 
Leonardo Miselis

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What is the probable (most likely) fate of the Medicare Advantage Program under the Affordable Care Act?

Wendell Smith

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Do you think the Obama administration should intensify efforts towards lowering the medical bills? The insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry and hospitals make huge profits based on people suffering.

Please consider the following comments and perhaps the panel will find it useful as part of the conversation.

Yes, Barack Obama has won the election. Congratulations America, congratulations Terra. Is our voting process over? No, it is not. Are our duties over? No, they are not! The president needs our support. Terra needs our support. Reduce consumerism. Increase education. Reduce corruption.

Please, let’s for a moment look at a simple aspect, on the beach. The Lifeguard watches over the safety of every person on the beach. Who is watching over the safety of almost 8 billion on Terra? We should be; there is no Lifeguard as of yet on Terra. Grow up, please be part of it. Terra needs our support. Reduce consumerism. Increase education. Reduce corruption.

We must make every effort to re-grow Terra’s Life Support so the freedom and our fundamental rights, animal rights and our children’s human rights can be respected.

Adrian Toader-Williams, PhD
Researcher life sciences and bioeconomics
International Academy of Science, Russian Section.
 

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The Medicare voucher issue may not  have been an issue with voters over 65, once the campaign pivoted stating it would not affect those on Medicare now or in the immediate future.
 
 
Jacqueline H. Grant, MD, MPH, MPA
District Health Director
Southwest Health District

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Hi,

We know the ACA is about access. How are states taking initative with payment
reform? We know MA is working on implementing a law passed this summer. The VT
governor was re-elected with single-payer reform. What other models are out
there? What would the panelists say about the role of states in this process?

-Jolene Singh
Teaching Fellow
Student Education Co-Chair, Crimson Care Collaborative-BIDMC

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Obama has presented himself as a strong advocate for education, and one important aspect of healthcare is public education.  Advances in science and medicine add increasing complexity to decisions regarding healthcare.  Does the typical health education curriculum in the public schools adequately prepare students for such future decisions  as whether to participate in specific clinical trials for new cancer treatments, or does the federal government need to update its guidelines or requirements regarding what’s taught to kids in school? 
Craig H. Davis

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With Obama's victory, ACA remaining the law is assured.  With ACA in place, does it become more of a reality that health care for all Americans is coming closer to being a "right" as many have said or written, and, if so, what areas need to be strengthened within ACA to achieve this goal?

Thank you.
Miles J. Zaremski
November 8, 2012
Northbrook, Illinois

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Good Morning,
I represent local public health. Can you share any insight on impacts on local public health and federally qualified healthcare centers.
Thank you,
Jennifer Thrush
Public Information Officer
Union County Health Department
 

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This question is for Prof. Baicker to follow up on her comments on premium support:

In talking about premium support, you mentioned different ways of structuring premium support and how they can affect how costs are distributed.  Do you think it is possible to structure premium support in a way that prevents selection of healthy Medicare beneficiaries by private health insurance plans?

Thanks!

 Paul Norton
Research Assistant
Harvard School of Public Health
Program in Health Care Financing

Dear Colleagues:

Of course with Obama's victory, the viability of ACA is now assured; however, it needs to be improved, particularly on the affordability side of the ledger. What I mean is that we continue to see annual premiums for health care coverage continuing to rise, and there is not much in ACA that will stem the tide. If ACA needs improvement (and it will)---despite the individual mandate where all of us need to be insured and insurers reap more $$---the first area is to provided sufficient competition in the state-run exchanges to curtail the rise in premiums. I might add that Robert Pears reported last week in the NY Times that there will be at least two plans approved or backed by the government as part of state-run exchanges (not run or financed by the government) that will put downward pressure on the rise in premiums. These type plans are also said to cross state lines as well---something that opponents of Obamacare wanted to see come about in the first place. Any comments?