An Opportunity for Parity: Health Care Reform Vis-à-Vis Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment–Reply–I

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Drs Lineberry and Bostwick raise an important issue regarding which insurance benefits should be included in a defined basic health insurance package in a US health reform scheme. We support a market-based model with various insurance benefit packages and the ability of individuals to purchase more than the basic insurance plan. That said, a defined basic benefit package would be needed to establish a bench-mark for the amount of government financial subsidy for individuals whom the government believes should receive such assistance. These guidelines will be difficult to establish, and the gains must be weighed against the cost of services. Because the definition of such a plan will likely be contentious, we recommend that it be established by a body that can function in a politically neutral process—just as the Federal Reserve Board changes interest rates in a politically neutral manner. In addition, a health care system that is based on the principles of a learning organization, as described in our article, could help in determining these benefits. A health care system that would be based on evidence of effectiveness and efficiency could provide benefits that are of value to the population. It would, over time, both delete services that were of minimal patient value and add services that were of patient value. An Opportunity for Parity: Health Care Reform Vis-à-Vis Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse TreatmentMayo Clinic ProceedingsVol. 81Issue 9PreviewTo the Editor: In their article in the April 2006 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Cortese and Smoldt1 emphasized the need for American health care reform. They pointed out that the United States currently does not have an integrated and comprehensive health care system and offered a proposal for rectifying this unacceptable situation now. We applaud their “calling of the question,” but we assert that their proposal is not sweeping enough. Full-Text PDF