Can We Say No?: The Challenge of Rationing Health Care

Over the past four decades, the share of income devoted to health care in the United States has nearly tripled. If current policy remains unchanged, this worrisome trend is likely to continue. Should Americans decide to rein in the growth of health care spending, on the other hand, they will be forced to consider whether to ration care for the well insured--a prospect that is odious and unthinkable to many. In Can We Say No?, Henry Aaron and William B. Schwartz argue that sensible health care rationing not only can save money, but that it can improve general welfare and public health, as well. The book reviews Great Britain?€TMs experience with health care rationing. The choices the British have made point up the nature of the options Americans will face if they wish to prevent public health care budgets from driving taxes even higher and private health care spending from crowding out increases in other forms of worker compensation and consumption. Aaron and Schwartz, along with Melissa Cox, explain why serious consideration of health care rationing is advisable, even inescapable. Can We Say No? provides the information policymakers and concerned citizens need to think clearly about these difficult issues, engage in an informed debate, and formulate responsible, sustainable health care policies.

Over the past four decades, the share of income devoted to health care nearly tripled. If policy is unchanged, this trend is likely to continue. Should Americans decide to rein in the growth of health care spending, they will be forced to consider whether to ration care for the well-insured, a prospect that is odious and unthinkable to many. This book argues that sensible health care rationing can not only save money but improve general welfare and public health. It reviews the experience with health care rationing in Great Britain. The choices the British have made point up the nature of the options Americans will face if they wish to keep public health care budgets from driving taxes ever higher and private health care spending from crowding out increases in other forms of worker compensation and consumption. This book explains why serious consideration of health care rationing is inescapable. It also provides the information policymakers and concerned citizens need to think clearly about these difficult issues and engage in an informed debate.

Examines The Use Of Rationing As A Means To Curb Health Care Spending, Using The Experience Of Great Britain To Highlight The Promises And Pitfalls Of This Approach--provided By Publisher. The Promise And The Problem -- The British System -- Matters Of Life And Death -- Quality Of Life -- Diagnoses -- Rationing And Efficiency -- Efficiency And Inefficiency In British Health Care -- Rationing Health Care In The United States. Henry J. Aaron And William B. Schwartz ; With Melissa Cox. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.