Thanks to Jane Sarasohn-Kahn and her blog Health Populi for making me aware of this Oprah segment. Jane does a great job of describing the show and introducing you to the guests.

She points out astutely that if the debate has reached Oprah, it has reached into many homes in America. I like the question raised by Uwe Reinhardt, health economics professor from Princeton University.

Jane reports that he asked,

“Should the child of a gas station attendant have the same chance of staying healthy or getting cured, if sick, as the child of a corporate executive?”

Oprah now has this question on her website and your answer could get you a spot on her show. You can find the question here.

How would you answer this question?

Reinhardt says the debate isn’t about socialized medicine but about social insurance. He uses natural disasters as an analogy. The government steps in to help with natural disasters, isn’t a woman with breast cancer just as much a natural disaster?

What do you think?

For me, I think there is only so much money to go around. There will be “natural disasters” but should everyone have the same opportunity no matter how they live their lives? If I smoke, don’t exercise, become obese and then need cardiac by-pass surgery, should I get it or should I be held accountable vor my behavior. What if I do well, but have genetics that cause me to have coronary artery disease even though I am slim, and eat well and exercise regularly but don’t take my Lipitor because it affects my memory and I am a physician. Should I get my stents paid for when I don’t take my medicine?

These are hard questions. I have pointed out that the current 45 million uninsured pay part of the premiums for the insured since the insured receive that benefit as tax exempt. Should our socioeconomic status determine the level of our care?

Should business be in the health benefit business for their employees? It is really the only affordable way most people can get health insurance now. We need to get our costs under control, and we need increased access to care. How are we going to do it? I would really like to hear your opinion. Leave me a comment about health care reform.

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