Health Reform and the Economy (Michael Rawlins)

The USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics hosted a conference Oct. 22, 2010, titled, "Health Reform and the Economy: Are They Good for Each Other?" At this conference, Sir Michael Rawlins, chairman of the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the U.K., brought an international perspective by describing how his organization sets governmental coverage policy and prices for drugs and treatments. He emphasized the role of science in setting benchmarks but also acknowledged that NICE factors in social value judgments, particularly for controversial treatments.

The conference also included panels examining critical reform issues related to reducing costs, improving quality, ensuring innovation and changing health care delivery. The assembly of renowned speakers from government, academia and industry presented different views -- some were concerned that health reform will not control costs, while others believed that incentives in the new health law for more robust information technology and provider payment reform will begin to bend the cost curve.

Learn more about the University of Southern California: http://www.usc.edu

Learn more about the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics: http://healthpolicy.usc.edu/

Category:

Education

Tags:

• health reform
• economy
• drugs
• treatment
• prices
• health care
• Michael Rawlins
• USC
• Schaeffer Center